Ice Age: New Life- Season 1
by ninjagogirl luvs iceage21
Summary: Hooray! The first season of Ice Age: New Life is finally here. There will be so many great stories following along with the storyline after Collision Course. There will be adventure, romance, suspense, mystery, action and so much more. This is gonna be amazing! I do not own Ice Age. Story ratings will vary from K to T. Happy reading. It'll feel like a television show.
1. The Search For Granny

ICE AGE: NEW LIFE

EPISODE 1

THE SEARCH FOR GRANNY

 **HELLO, ALL FAN FICTION READERS. I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU ALL THE SERIES YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. HERE IT IS.**

 **ICE AGE: NEW LIFE.**

 **SEASON 1**

 **PLEASE READ THE SERIES PREMIERE TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.**

 **BEFORE I LET YOU READ THIS, I WILL PLACE A QUICK SUMMARY OF EACH STORY.**

 **SID AND BROOKE HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP TO GEOTOPIA TO SEE HOW GRANNY'S DOING. ALONG THE WAY, DIEGO AND SHIRA ACCIDENTALLY BREAK SOME CRYSTALS INSIDE THE SABERS HOME, SO THEY JOURNEY ON A QUEST TO GET MORE.**

 **I WON'T SPOIL IT TOO MUCH FOR YOU GUYS. BASICALLY SOME TWO TO THREE SENTENCE SUMMARIES.**

 **WELL, ENJOY READING THE FIRST EPISODE.**

A new day is shining in Switchback Cove. The animals had pretty much finished bringing the island to its former glory. The hyraxes continued on to making their home seem the way it always is. At that moment, the sloth couple, Sid and Brooke, were finishing up making their new home. They had already finished the garage and made sure their log car was still in driving order. Now the time to create the cave home of their dreams has come true and everything was where it needed to be. At that moment, Sid had finished creating a cave drawing of him and Brooke on a headstone and nailed it into the wall. It wasn't the greatest, but it looked to be better than anything they've ever seen.

Brooke walked over and wrapped her arms around Sid, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Sidney darling, it's beautiful. I love the way the cave looks. I wouldn't change a thing."

"Me neither," Sid said, "It's the best place to call home. Well, let's start making lunch. All that work made me famished."

Brooke giggled. "Would you like to go find lunch with me?"

"Sure. Sounds good." Sid followed Brooke out of the cave, walking alongside her. "You know, I remember when I used to take a stroll along this trail with Granny. She and I would have long conversations and spend a lot of time with each other. I just felt like I was at home with her, you know. That was before the asteroid and before I met you. It was wonderful."

"Well, I'm sure Granny's having a wonderful time with the others in Geotopia. I'm sure they're having all kinds of fun."

"You know, I've been thinking. Why don't we go and pay her a visit? I'm sure she's having fun with her new friends, but I'm sure she's feeling a bit lonely not being surrounded by family members."

"I'd love to go see Granny and the others, too, but it could take us about a day to get there. Plus, the village is still going through some construction. I know you care about Granny and so do I, but let's let her get accustom to his new life."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Sidney."

"Sure about what?" The sloths looked to see Manny and Ellie walking by.

"Oh, hi Manny," Sid said, "Hello Ellie. How are you guys doing on this wonderful day?"

"We're fine," Manny said, "Just a normal day. Everything's good."

"We overheard you guys talking about something," Ellie said, "Is there something going on?"

"Oh, nothing much, Ellie," Brooke said, "Sidney here is only worried about Granny, but I'm trying to tell him that she's fine."

"I'm sure she's doing okay," Manny said, "The herd does seem quiet since she decided to stay with those other guys in Geotopia."

"You know, I've been kind of worried about them all," Ellie said.

"See?" Sid said, "Even Ellie agrees with me."

"Sidney, I know you want to see Granny, but with all the construction and everything else, I just don't know how we'll even get there," Brooke said.

"Come on, Brooke. I'm sure Geotopia isn't that far away."

"Guys, don't let all this construction keep you cooped up here," Ellie said, "You guys could really use some time alone to spend with family. Plus, you've been working on your new home for days. You could use a break."

"Plus, you guys are practically married and you haven't even went on your first honeymoon," Manny said, "Go on and have a good time. A few days with you not here isn't gonna change anything."

"I hope you're not referring that I don't belong here in the herd," Sid said.

"No, I didn't mean that at all. I was just saying that nothing will change while you guys are away."

"Well, when you put it that way, I don't feel bad at all."

"Are you sure you guys won't need us?" Brooke asked.

"Everything will be fine, Brooke," Ellie said, "Go out and have a good time."

"Well, alright." Brooke grabbed her husband's arm. "Come on, Sidney. Let's go pack and get the log car ready."

"But what about lunch?" Sid asked.

"Oh, we'll eat later. Come on." Brooke dragged Sid back to their cave.

Manny looked at his wife. "Do you think things will go as planned for them?"

"I'm sure everything will turn out okay," Ellie said, "Let's hope for the best."

The two mammoths went out to go help the sloths pack. They were going to need some help considering that Sid can still be accident prone.

* * *

Everyone in the herd was gathered around the sloth's home, helping them pack up their car. Manny had just placed the last bag in the trunk. The sloths were piling inside their car, making sure they had everything before they said goodbye to their friends.

"We hope you guys have a wonderful time," Ellie said.

"Aww, thanks, Ellie," Sid said, "I'm sure we're going to have a great time. Right, Brooke?"

"Right, Sidney," Brooke said. She turned her attention to the sabers. "Do keep an eye on the place, you two. Make sure to water all the plants and be careful not to break any of our household items."

"Don't worry, you two," Diego said, "You're in good paws."

"Well, as long as this guy doesn't become accident prone, everything should be okay," Shira said.

"That's nice to know," Manny said, "Well, you two better hit the road. You don't wanna get caught up in traffic."

"Good idea," Sid said, starting up the car, "We'll be back in a few days." The two sloths drove away from the rest of the herd.

"Have a good time," Ellie said.

"See you later," Shira said.

"Well, good luck keeping an eye on the place," Manny told the sabers.

"You don't wanna help them or at least offer to help them?" Ellie asked.

"Actually, Ellie, I think Diego and I can handle keeping an eye on Sid and Brooke's place," Shira said, "We have a place of our own. It doesn't seem too hard to watch somebody else's cave."

"Well, if you say so, but if you do need help, just let us know."

"We will," Diego said.

When the mammoth couple left, Manny started chuckling softly, but it wasn't soft enough for Ellie not to hear it. She gave him a look. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just...I don't think Diego and Shira are gonna make a good impression to our sloth friends," Manny said, "I have a feeling that they might end up breaking something or, I don't know, having some...romance time." He started laughing.

Ellie shook her head. "Manny, I can already tell that you'll become Sid's replacement when he's gone on trips. You're already starting to act like an idiot. I have a feeling its because you're getting old."

"Getting old? Not gonna happen. I still got a good twenty-five to thirty years left in me. Maybe forty. Still, though, I'm not getting old."

"That's what all the old timer's say." Ellie started walking off smiling to herself. Manny followed behind, sighing.

Meanwhile, the sabers were busy touring around the sloth's home. Shira was amazed at the way they decorated the place. Diego kept checking out all the rooms. They looked pretty cozy. He walked over to his wife. "Who knew Brooke and Sid combined certain taste to make this place look so...nice. I have to admit, it actually smells nice in here. Maybe Brooke's scent wears off Sid's smell."

"Must have considered that this place smells like lavender," Shira said.

Diego cuddled his wife's cheek. "This place makes you look more beautiful than the scent of lavender."

"Diego, what are you doing?"

"Well, I was just thinking...maybe you and I could...oh, I don't know...have some snuggly time here. After all, there's nobody to bother us. Just you, me and the speechless air surrounding us."

Shira's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? There is no way I would change over our place of snuggly time. Plus, this is Sid and Brooke's place."

"Come on, please. I promise we won't say a word. It'll be our little secret."

Thinking about it for a moment, Shira sighed and let out a flirty growl. "If you want some snuggle time, you'll have to dance with me first."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Diego snapped his claws and a bird came up to the window. He walked over to Shira, her head resting on his chest. This made the male saber purr. "I just love feeling your fur on mine."

"I just love placing my fur on yours." As they continued to dance, Shira's left back leg slipped a bit and caused her to knock over the small round stone table that had a wooden vase contained with purple crystals. They all shattered as they hit the floor, making Shira gasp. "Oh, no! Oh, what did I do?"

"Uh, you knocked over a vase that was filled with the crystals that Brooke brought back with her from Geotopia," Diego said.

"I know. Oh, we promised to make sure nothing happened and look at this. I shouldn't have listened to you about dancing in the room. Come on, help me fix these." Shira started picking up the pieces of crystals.

"Uh, hon, there's no way to fix those. They're all in a million pieces. It seems as though they are gone for good."

"What are you talking about? These are the crystals of Geotopia. They can be..." Shira hesitated and dropped the pieces in her hand. She let out a high-pitched scream. "Oh, my gosh. I forgot about what these things can do. They can keep Brooke younger as long as nothing bad happens to them. Something bad just did happen to them. Oh, what if Brooke comes home looking all old like Granny? What if she doesn't come back at all and Sid comes home and tells us that...she's gone? Oh, Diego, what are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?"

"Shira, calm down. Freaking out about this whole thing isn't gonna get us anywhere. Besides, I have an idea."

"What? What is it? Tell me."

"Do you remember Sid mentioning to us that he and Brooke had a spare log car?"

A moment later, the two sabers were inside the spare log car that was inside Brooke and Sid's garage. Diego was in the driver's seat trying to figure out how to work the wooden vehicle while Shira was waiting for him patiently in the passenger's seat. She groaned in frustration. "Ugh, this is taking forever. What's wrong with traveling the old fashioned way?"

"Are you nuts? It'll take us days to get there by foot."

"What are you talking about? It took us a day to get there and we didn't use a car."

"That's because we took a shortcut and followed Buck. This is the quickest way. Now hang on a minute and let me figure out how to use this thing." Diego kept pulling and pushing things until he finally pulled the lever that made the log car roll out of the garage and make its way over to the trail. "Okay, it looks like I figured out how to start it."

"Use those wooden pedals to keep it in track. And keep your paws on the wheel."

"Okay. Okay. Geez, you don't have to be so pushy."

"Turn the wheel."

"I'm firming the wheel. Don't worry about me. I'm driving so I'm in control."

"Diego, look out! Pedestrians!"

Diego was driving through the village, everyone jumping off the trail and getting out of the way. It didn't take long for them to make it out of the village. Diego sighed in relief. "Whew! Glad nobody got hurt. I think I'm going to need some practice."

Shira gasped. "Diego, stop!"

Diego looked to see Peaches and Julian about to cross the street before they screamed in fear and moved out of the way. The car stopped when Diego quit pedaling and pulled up the lever to keep it in park. He and Shira both sighed in relief. Shira was actually hyperventilating more than she was breathing in and out. Diego gave her a goofy grin. "At least I'm getting the hang of it."

"You just started driving it five minutes ago," Shira snapped.

"Are you guys okay?" Peaches asked.

"Yeah, you were all like driving all over the place," Julian said, "What's going on?'

"Uh, well, Shira and I are heading off to find Brooke and Sid to and tell them that-" Diego stopped talking as Shira placed a paw over his mouth.

"They forgot something at home, so we're going to find them and bring back the thing that they forgot," Shira said, "Say, maybe you two can do us a favor."

"Sure," Peaches said.

"Do you both mind keeping an eye on Sid and Brooke's place while we head out to find them? We would be forever in your debt if you would help us out."

"Sure. We'd love to help."

"What exactly did they forget, anyway?"

"Does it matter?" Diego asked.

"Nope. Let's do it, Peach!"

"Okay, okay, we're doing it," Peaches said, following Julian down the trail, "We'll see you guys when you get back."

"Bye," Shira said, grabbing Diego and placing him back in the driver's seat, "Okay, let's go."

"Are you sure you want me to drive again?" Diego asked, "I don't think you feel comfortable with me doing this."

"All you have to do is drive, but be careful. Stay medium. Don't go too fast or too slow. Just go smoothly and safely. Also, don't try to crash into anything."

"Okay. Just don't freak out and everything will be fine."

Shira slapped a paw over her forehead. "Just drive."

The two sabers headed out again, this time taking more precautions than ever before. At this rate, they may find some crystals in time to replace the ones they accidentally broke. Let's just hope they do.

* * *

In some snowy fields, Sid and Brooke had stopped for the night to rest. They made some good road today, but they had to make more tomorrow if they wanted to make it to Geotopia. Sid was really hoping they could see how Granny was doing and what was going on. After all, Granny was the only person that considered Sid family. Now that Sid has Brooke, he was plentiful happy.

Brooke had just finished gathering up fruit for dinner and started roasting the vegetables. Sid had forgotten that she was a strict vegetarian and wouldn't eat anything that came off of trees except for fruit. She wouldn't eat tree bark, leaves, twigs or anything that helps to grow life on trees. She wouldn't even eat acorns because that was the seed that made trees grow. Sid wasn't sure if that was true, but if Brooke was right, he would listen.

The male sloth was relaxing under a tree, soaking in the setting sun. He yawned and stretched. "Oh, boy. Look at us, Brooke. You and me are out here together with nobody to bother us. Maybe you and I should go out like this more often. Well, that might not work considering that we're part of a herd and all."

Brooke giggled. "Oh, Sidney. I certainly am having a good time. I can't wait to are all my old friends back in Geotopia."

"Yeah, and I can't wait to see Granny again."

"I'm still warning you, Sidney. Granny may not be how you remember her when we get there. She might be kind of...how you say...different."

"Ah, don't worry, honey. No matter who or what Granny is like now, I'm sure her personality hasn't changed."

Brooke shook her head as she walked over to her husband, setting his bowl down for him. Sid growled at her as she giggled. When she went to make herself a bowl, she didn't notice that Sid was staring at her the whole time. When she turned around, Brooke caught her husband's eyes on her. She set her bowl down and placed one paw in her hip and the other paw leaning against a tree. "What exactly are you staring at? Are you staring at my beauty or do you wanna make out with me?"

"I'm pretty sure you are aware that I want both. I'll take an order of fries with some of your special dessert."

Brooke walked over to Sid and placed her arms around his neck. "What's the special dearest?"

"A million kisses."

"I think I can give you just that." Brooke and Sid's lips touched one another's as they moved over to where some large leaves were at. They didn't even notice that Scrat was behind the leaves, taking a bath in a small puddle. He was in the middle of scrubbing his back when he saw the two sloths making out. He screamed, but they couldn't hear him as Sid's butt started squishing him. Scrat was lucky enough to pop out from under there. Grabbing his nut and grumbling to himself, he stormed off. Sid and Brooke still continued making out all the way up until the moon was showing. Once nightfall came, the two sloths were sleeping inside the tent Sid had made and were sleeping peacefully. As long as you weren't a saber-tooth squirrel, it was the perfect night for romance.

* * *

The next morning in the village, Manny and Ellie were walking on the trail, making their way over to the sloths home. Ellie was starting to get worried about the sabers and wanted to check up on their progress. Manny wasn't sure why they were doing it in the first place since he thought that Diego and Shira were more trustworthy than any other mammal. He had a feeling that Ellie only wanted to keep an eye on them so they didn't end up having, as Shira calls it, snuggly time.

Manny groaned. "Remind me why we're going over there again?"

"I just thought maybe we could go check up and see how the sabers are doing," Ellie said, "This is their first big real life responsibility task and I wanna make sure that they're doing a good job."

"I'm sure they're fine. If I know Diego and Shira, they never let anybody down. You know that. Come on. Stop worrying about it and let's go enjoy ourselves. It makes me feel as though you don't trust them."

"That's not it at all. I just wanna make sure that they're not doing anything that will cause Sid and Brooke to lose their trust. Now come on. Let's go."

Manny sighed. "Fine." He felt the thump of a pebble hit him on the top of the head. "Ow!" He looked up in the tree and heard snickering coming from the branch above his head. "Crash! Eddie! I know you two are up there, so come down."

"Didn't you think that was awesome?" Crash asked, hanging upside down.

"I thought it was," Eddie said, doing the same thing.

"Since when are you two ever gonna stop tormenting other mammals?" Manny asked.

"Until we're dead," Crash said, "Hey, Eddie, how long does a possum live?"

"Beats me," Eddie said, "I just know that we're gonna be living life to the fullest."

They started shooting pebbles at Manny again, laughing their heads off. The male mammoth's anger took over him as he grabbed Crash and Eddie by their tails. "I can deal with you two acting like clowns, but I'm starting to go crazy with you guys torturing me all the time. Now get out of here before I mangle you two and then bury you thirty feet into the ground."

"Oh, Eddie, I think I hear Buck calling us," Crash told his brother.

"See you, Manny," Eddie said as he and his brother scurried off.

Ellie turned and looked at her husband. "Manny, come on. I don't have all day."

"Coming, dear," Manny called out, following his wife.

The two mammoths went inside the cave, but they were surprised to see Peaches and Julian in the sloth's home instead of the sabers. Ellie walked up to her daughter. "Peaches, what are you and Julian doing in here?"

"Oh, Shira and Diego said that they needed to ask Brooke and Sid a question about something, so they headed out to find them," Peaches said.

"Did they say what they wanted to ask them?" Manny asked.

"Nope," Julian said, "They just hopped inside a log car and left."

"That's weird," Ellie said, "If they needed help, why didn't they just ask?"

"I think I know why they left," Peaches said, "We saw some shattered crystals on the ground. We cleaned it up, though. Guess they forgot to clean up their mess before they left."

"Looks like they're trying to lose Brooke and Sid's trust."

"Listen, Ellie, why don't we all just keep an eye on on the place until they all get back," Manny said, "I'm sure Diego and Shira will be back before the sloths get home. Besides, that's exactly what will happen."

"How do you know, Dad?" Peaches asked.

"Trust me, Peaches. Just watch long enough and you'll know. Come on, everybody. Let's get this place cleaned up."

Everyone started dusting out the place, careful not to knock anything over. For some reason, Sid and Brooke had a lot of breakable things in their home. Let's hope Sid never ends up accidentally breaking anything in his own home.

* * *

On that same morning, Diego and Shira were finally waking up, yawning and stretching after a long night of sleep. Neither of them slept well due to the fact that a cricket was chirping next to the cave the entire night. Their eyes were droopy and Shira was in a feisty mood that morning. Whenever she was tired and hasn't eaten yet, she was not a happy sabress.

Diego had taken the time by going out and getting the both of them some breakfast. He came back with a gazelle. That made Shira somewhat in a better mood throughout the day. The two of them started driving, but they felt as though they weren't anywhere near Geotopia.

This started making Shira's bad mood take over. "Do you even know where to go?"

"To be honest, I only remember the way Buck took us," Diego said, "I have no idea where I'm driving to."

"So it seems as though we're lost?"

"We're not lost."

"Yes, we are."

"No, we're not."

"Well, I think it's best if you pull over and ask for directions."

"I don't need to ask for directions, Shira. I know where I'm going. Maybe it's best if we take that shortcut."

Shira's couldn't take it and literally blew up in front of her husband. "PULL OVER AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONS OR SO HELP ME, YOU WON'T LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY ONCE I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!"

Diego's eyes widened as he shook his head. "Okay, fine. I'll ask for directions."

Shira grinned. "Thank you."

A moment later, they past by an anteater and his kids, stopping right next to them. Diego placed his arm on the side of the door. "Excuse me. Can you tell me where Geotopia is?"

"Are you wanting directions there?" the anteater asked.

"Yes. Do you mind helping me and my wife out here, buddy?"

"Well, I've never been to this Geotopia place before, but I've heard of it. Some say that if you continue down this road, you take a right, then take a left, and then keep going straight until you reach a hedge road where all the hedges are covered with grapes. Then you'll make it to Geotopia in no time. Just warning you, though. It'll take you about a few hours to get there, but with whatever that thing is you're driving, it should only take you about an hour or two. Well, happy travelling. Come on, kids. Let's get you two to pinecone toss practice."

"Okay, Dad," the two children said, following their father down the trail.

Shira smirked. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You know, you didn't have to yell at me to get your way," Diego said.

Shira sighed. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to get there so we can get back before Sid and Brooke found out that we just left and they'll think that we followed them all the way out here. You see, I just want us to be responsible so we can prove to everyone that we can be trusted to take care of things. I just thought that if we could take care of the cave, there wouldn't be any problems with us taking care of a baby."

Diego stared at his wife. He wasn't sure what to say about what Shira just said. He looked away for a moment before staring into his wife's eyes. "Oh, I didn't realize."

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just...I didn't know you still had that on your mind."

"Of course I still have that on my mind. What did you think? I just automatically forgot about it? That thought will never leave my head."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should've known that you were still considering that. Well, to be honest, I haven't really had that in my mind."

"You were the one that kept saying stuff about wanting a baby. I thought it was what you wanted."

"I don't want you to consider us becoming parents just to make me happy. If it's something that you don't want, I'm not gonna force you to have it."

"I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for the both of us. I've decided that children will be the greatest part of our lives. Besides, I just love kids more than anything and I love you more than anything. I just want us to bring some new saber lives into this world."

"I don't know. Are we ready for this?"

Shira sighed. "Well, I have a feeling that neither of us are as prepared for it as we thought, so I think it would be best if we took...parenting classes."

"Parenting classes?!"

"Yes. I just feel that's the best option we've got. We're already making a bad decision just going out and getting more crystals when we're really supposed to be keeping an eye on Sid and Brooke's home."

"Maybe it's best if we just turn back and tell them the truth."

"I can't face them with the truth."

"It's better to be responsible than keeping it as a hidden lie. I hate to be truthful, but that's just our only choice."

"I'm not turning back until we at least find some crystals. Now less talking and more driving."

Diego sighed. "Okay." Starting back up the log car, the sabers took off down the trail, containing their journey to find crystals. Little did they know that karma was still planning to bite them both.

* * *

Sid and Brooke finally made it to Geotopia. After going through different places on the island, a beautiful land filled with different creatures and so much freelance magic was floating in the air. Brooke smiled. She was happy to be back at home after being away for some time. Sid was smiling seeing his wife's happiness.

Brooke's excitement was getting the best of her. "Oh, I can't wait to see everyone again. I'm sure they've missed me a bunch."

"I'm sure Granny's missed me, too," Sid said.

"I'm warning you once more, Sid. Granny may not be as you guys had left her. She might be a bit...different."

"Don't worry, honey. I promise not to freak out."

They made their way to the entrance of Geotopia. Sid parked the car as Brooke climbed out, grabbing her bag from the trunk. The female sloth went into the land. "Shangri Llama? Teddy? Bubbles and Misty?" Brooke became worried. "I don't get it. Where are they?"

"Oh, they're all probably out there somewhere, babe. Hey, try calling out for Granny. She might come out. It could take her a while, though."

Brooke cleared her throat. "Granny?"

"Who is making all that racket?" a familiar voice that Brooke knew well called out. She was surprised to see Shangri Llama walking up to the entrance. "Whoever you are, keep your voice down. I'm trying to meditate. It involved peace and quiet."

"Shangri Llama!" Brooke exclaimed, running up and hugging her old friend.

"Brooke, darling. It's so wonderful to see you again." Shangri returned the hug. He looked over Brooke's shoulder to see Sid. "Ah, Sid. How wonderful it is to see you again. How have you been?"

"I've been well, thanks for asking," Sid said, walking up with all the bags in his claws, "How's Granny been?"

"I will tell you this, Sid. She is absolutely wonderful. A perfect member of our civilization. I'm so glad you two have come here to visit us. How has it been living with the herd and all, Brooke?"

"It's been absolutely wonderful," Brooke said, "Why don't we go and see everyone else?"

"Wonderful idea," Shangri Llama said, "This will give us the perfect time to catch up. Say, right after that, we could have a yoga class. Then we can relax with some peaceful meditation. After that, we'll have dinner and spend the night in the jacuzzi." The sloth couple followed Shangri Llama into the beautiful world of Geotopia. They made their way inside a lit up purple cave. "Everyone, We have a couple of visitors that have come to spend some time with us. They happen to be old friends of ours. Come out and see them."

Bubbles and Misty were the first ones to pop up out of nowhere. They ran up and hugged Brooke. "Hey, girl!"

"Oh, hello there, my favorite minicorns," Brooke said, hugging them both back.

"Brooke, where have you been?" Bubbles asked, "You should not be gone for too long because it is so boring here without you."

"But we understand that you wanna be with the one you love and we are not gonna stop you from running away to your true love," Misty said.

"Aww, thanks, you two," Brooke said. She noticed that someone was missing. "What a second. Where's Teddy?"

"I know exactly where he is," Shangri Llama said, "Follow me."

Everyone followed Shangri Llama, hoping they would find Teddy inside the cave. Hopefully, they'll find Granny, too.

* * *

Meanwhile, Diego and Shira were able to make it to Geotopia without being seen by anyone. They found some crystals and made a run for it before Brooke and Sid could even find out they were there. Unfortunately, after they had hopped into the log car and tried to zoom out of there as fast as they could, the pedals broke off and they had no way to drive off. They stared at the vehicle that would no longer work.

"Well, that's just great," Diego said.

"This is ridiculous," Shira said, "Why, oh why did I force myself to do this?"

"Now, Shira, don't go blaming yourself for this."

"No, no, it's all my fault. I was the one that wanted to be irresponsible and cause this whole mess to happen. We should've just cleaned up the mess and took responsibility for our actions. Its not like I had parents to teach me how to do that."

Diego sighed, placing a paw on his wife's shoulder. "Don't worry, Shira. It'll all be okay. We'll just tell them the truth when they get home. Let's just go back and clean up a bit. I'm pretty sure the others are starting to wonder why Sid and Brooke's home has been abandoned."

"As far as I'm concerned, they may have already discovered that we're gone. I wish we knew at the beginning not to do this. I didn't want us to fail at being cavesitters. Looks like we won't be thinking about having kids anytime soon. It's times like this that just make me wanna burst into tears, but being the carnivorous saber I am, I just can't do it."

"Well, we haven't failed as cavesitters. The best way to prove that is to do the right thing. Just think about that for a bit."

Shira sighed, having no idea what to do. On the one hand, she didn't want to fail. On the other hand, she wanted to prove that she was responsible. The possibility came down to two choices. Shira followed her husband down the trail. Looks like they were walking back to the village.

* * *

Brooke and Sid were amazed by everything they saw. Ever since their old home was destroyed, Geotopia has rebuilt its civilization and have called it home ever since. The tour ended when they heard a noise coming from inside a small cave. They went inside to see Teddy giving someone a massage. The palaeolagus looked to see his old friend Brooke and her new husband Sid.

"Brooke, how delightful of you to return," Teddy said, "I had a feeling you would come over with your new husband. Rumor has it that you married Sid the sloth."

"Are you talking about Sidney?" a familiar voice asked.

Sid gasped. "Granny? Granny, where are you?"

"I'm right here, Sidney," Granny said, removing herself from underneath the grass blanket. Sid gasped when he saw his Granny. She was no longer the old sloth that she used to be. She was younger and had a lot more purple to her. She even had a head full of funky hair that looked as if she were going to a disco club. She noticed her grandson was looking at her in a surprising and bewildering way. "I know what you're thinking, Sidney. How did I change this way? I guess it was because we were all inside that jacuzzi that turned us back to our young ways of life."

"I told you that she would be a bit different, Sidney," Brooke said.

"I don't get it," Sid said, "How did this happen?"

"Well, it seems as though one of the crystals still had some youth magic in it and made us all young again," Shangri Llama explained, "Amazing, isn't it?"

"So now that you're all young and everything, Granny, I don't suppose I'll have to chew your food anymore, huh?"

"A lot of outsiders call me Granny, but here, I'm known as Granny Gladys," Granny said, "You can me Granny, though."

"This is incredible, Granny," Sid said, "You finally have another chance to be young again. This time, you won't have to worry about so many responsibilities."

"I didn't even have any responsibilities at first. I don't have any now. Why should I? Where I'm living at now is paradise."

"Wow. Hard to believe this here used to be an asteroid."

"Oh, let us stop talking about the old days before the blood rushes through my head and my anger returns," Shangri Llama said, "It is time for yoga class."

"Let's see what that's like," Sid said.

"You're going to love it, Sid," Brooke said, "Come on. Let's loosen our limbs and open our minds. Crabwalk with me." She placed herself in a crabwalking position and crawled away. Sid did the same thing, but was having a lot of trouble. Nothing he can't handle, right?

* * *

That night, Diego and Shira had stopped for the night after a long walk down the trail that would lead them back to the village. Diego's back was sore after carrying those heavy crystals in a saddle bag made from a leaf and vines while Shira kept complaining that her paws were cramping. They were sitting in an empty space in the woods, with no fire to keep them warm. Diego was sitting there thinking while Shira had a look on her face that would make someone say drop dead. Of course, it was a gift she had.

Diego started worrying about his wife. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you?" Shira asked in a grouchy tone.

Diego's eyes widened. "Well,...not really."

Shira sighed. "Diego, I'm cold, tired, hungry and grumpy and right now, I wish I could catch a whole basket of trout."

"Filling you up with something might make you less grumpy." Diego got up. "Here, I'll go find us some dinner." He made his way over to a tree filled with mangoes. "In the mood for some mangoes?"

"Doesn't matter to me."

"Okay, well, I'm getting us some." He started shaking the tree, but what he didn't know was a beehive made its home surrounded by riped mangoes. When the male saber shook it the tree, he knocked the hive off the branch. This made the bees angry and chase after him. Diego ran for his life. "Hey, babe, do you mind getting dinner? I'm kind of in a bit of a situation right now."

Shira groaned. "Diego, you are such an idiot sometimes." She picked up the mangoes and the beehive from off the ground and began do slicing up the fruit, pouring honey from the hive on top of them. After using a stick to mix it all up, She had dinner made. Diego made it back at that exact moment as she smiled. "I made dinner." She looked at him from head to toe and saw plenty of bee stings. "You know, Diego, sometimes you can be so unlucky."

"What did you make for dinner?" He began scratching the stings.

"Mangoes and honey. My new recipe. Dig in. Oh, and try not to scratch."

Rolling his eyes, Diego gorged into dinner and finished in no time. A bit later, the sabers were asleep, enjoying the peaceful night while it lasted.

* * *

That same night, Brooke and Sid were relaxing in the jacuzzi with everyone else from Geotopia. They were having a wonderful time. Chatting about all the great things had led them to a more important topic. One that Sid always had to bring up.

"You know, Granny, I'm glad that you've found your place here, but I do miss you being part of the herd," Sid said, "I'm just happy that your happy. No matter whether your old or not, you'll always be my Granny."

"Aw, how nice of you to say that, Sid," Granny said.

"You know, your not as cranky as you used to be. I just now noticed that."

"Oh, I won't be all cranky until I become old and wrinkly again, shock may not come until you become all old and wrinkly, Sidney."

"You know, Gladys, you always talk about how Sid is your favorite grandson and all," Teddy said, "Why don't we just go and live with him and the herd."

Brooke gasped. "What a great idea!"

"Yeah, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind you guys being a part of our wonderful family," Sid said.

"Well, I don't know," Granny said, "On one hand, I would leave peaceful serenity. On the other hand, I'd go back to the herd that I cared about even if I was all old and groady to him. Oh, what the heck? I can come back here whenever I want. Let's go."

"Hooray! Wait. As in now?"

"Yeah. By that time, we'll be there bright and early tomorrow."

"Sounds great." Sid hopped out of the jacuzzi. "Come on, you guys."

Brooke smiled at her Geotopian friends. "Well, everyone. It seems as though we will be leaving now. Today was so relaxing, but I suppose this is goodbye."

"We'll miss you, Brooke," Shangri Llama said, "You, too, Teddy. And Granny Gladys."

"Visit us whenever you want," Misty said.

"We'll be waiting for you," Bubbles said.

"Come on, Brooke," Sid said, "Granny and Teddy are already packed up."

All the suitcases were placed in the trunk and the four mammals made their way back to the village. Let's hope the herd will accept Teddy and Granny's love.

* * *

Meanwhile, the sabers were still sleeping, having no idea that the sloths were on their way home. Shira was snuggled up close to Diego, sleeping peacefully and ignoring the fact that it was daylight. Hearing the birds singing in the trees, the female saber opened her eyes and yawned. She stretched her legs out and knew it was time to hit the road. Before going to bed last night, Shira had an idea for a shortcut. She pushed Diego to wake him up, who hissed in pain.

"Morning, softie," Shira said.

"Did you have to do that?" Diego asked, trying his best to stand up.

"Yes. Now are you gonna get up or not?"

Diego groaned. He finally placed himself on all four paws. "You know, I figured out a shortcut we could take."

"So did I."

"I think it's time we went with a decision that came from me."

"Not gonna happen."

"Oh, yes, it will."

Shira sighed, knowing she wasn't in the mood to argue. "Okay, where's your shortcut?"

An hour later, Shira was walking through mud puddles and just pool after pool of mud. She tried keeping her fur clean, but every time, she slipped and fell. She growled in anger and frustration. Diego chuckled. "Looks like we're even now. How do you like them apples?"

"I'm gonna kill you once we get out of here." She fell back down in the mud, but noticed that Diego was mud free since his bee stings were still noticeable. "How are you not muddy?"

" 'Cause I'm still on the trail."

Shira noticed this, her mouth opened wide. "I thought you said the trail was through the mud."

"I lied. You looked like you could use a mud bath after all the tension that's in you. Plus, you'll never believe this. We're actually here."

Shira saw the village right in front of her. "Wait a second. You dragged me through the Mud Springs?"

"Serves you right for dragging me into this."

"So what? At least we got the crystals." Shira gasped. "Look!"

"What?" Diego saw Sid and Brooke driving their way back home in the log car. "Uh, oh."

"We need to get back over there now." The two sabers started running back to the sloth's home.

* * *

Back at the sloth's home, Peaches and Julian were finishing up the last bit of housework. Julian was dusting and making sure there wasn't another speck anywhere. Peaches was wiping off the counters and tables, making sure not to miss a spot.

Once they were done, Peaches smiled. "Well, we're finally finished."

"This house is now considered...super clean," Julian said, "Not a speck of dust, dirt, or grease anywhere. We did a pretty good job."

Ellie and Manny walked inside the cave. The female mammoth smiled. "Good work, you two. I think you did a much better job than Shira or Diego would ever do."

"Speaking of which, those two still haven't come back," Manny said, "I heard that Sid and Brooke were driving by in the village heading back here."

"Well, good thing we finished cleaning," Peaches said.

At that moment, Diego and Shira ran inside the cave, looking terrible, tired, and relieved they made it before the sloth's did. Julian gave them and look, but then he smiled. "You guys are busted."

"What happened to you two?" Ellie asked.

"You're not gonna believe what we've been through," Shira said.

"You guys broke the crystals," Manny said.

"And you left to go get more before Sid and Brooke figured out what you did," Ellie said.

"You guys ditched your responsibility as housesitters," Peaches said.

"Yeah, you made us do all the work," Julian said, "Not that it was a bad thing or anything."

"It was awful and technically all my fault," Shira said.

"Shira! Diego! We're back!" Brooke called out.

"You guys are gonna have to tell them what happened," Ellie said.

The sloth couple came inside the cave. Brooke looked around. "Hello there, everyone. It's so wonderful to see you all again. Oh, Shira, Diego, you cleaned the whole place. It looks spotless."

"Now we know who to trust as our housesitters," Sid said.

"By the way, why are you covered in bee stings, Diego? Shira, did you take a trip to the Mud Springs?"

Shira sighed, knowing the truth had to be told sooner or later. "Actually, guys, Diego and I didn't stay to take care of the place at all. You see, we were dancing in the living room and I accidentally broke your crystals." Shira showed them the empty case which no longer contained the crystals. "Well, they're not in here now since Peaches and Julian swept them up. We left to go get more, but we knew that we weren't gonna make it on foot, so we took your spare log car. I made Diego drive it, though. Then after we got some new crystals, we were trying to make it back, but we wrecked the log car so we continued the rest of the way on foot. Then Diego was sitting trying to find dinner and ended up getting stung by bees and just a half hour ago, Diego made me travel through mud." Diego chuckled, but Shira socked him in the shoulder. "In conclusion, you might not want to ever trust us to babysit your home ever again."

"So you guys went to get more crystals?" Sid asked.

"And you had Peaches and Julian clean up the place?" Brooke asked.

"Yes," the sabers confessed.

"Only because Shira here thought you would turn all old again and I had just figured out the crystals don't work anymore," Diego said.

"You guys didn't have to go out and get more crystals," Sid said, walking away over to the closer and opening it to reveal more crystals inside, "There were more in here."

Shira's face went from upsetting to anger. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you just tell is that before?"

"Wouldn't it have been better to look through the house first?" Ellie asked.

Shira sighed. "I am an idiot. All I wanted to do was prove that Diego and I can take care of a kid. How can we do that when we can't even take care of a house?"

"Why don't you just sign up for parenting classes?"

"Parenting classes?" Diego asked, "They actually have those?"

"They do now," Ellie said.

"Really?" Manny asked, "Where?" Ellie giggled. He knew that could only mean that one thing. "Oh, no. Don't be serious, Ellie."

"Well, why not? We've done this sort of thing before. Why not teach others?"

Manny sighed. "Fine, I'll do it. As long as Sid joins in."

"You want me to be a student of your teachings?" Sid asked, surprised.

Brooke gasped. "That's a great idea! This will give you a wonderful opportunity to learn the ways of fatherhood. Can I be a student of your teachings, Ellie?"

"Of course," Ellie said.

"Well, for what it's worth, we really are sorry," Shira said.

"Oh, there's no reason to apologize, darlings," Brooke said, "Everybody makes mistakes."

"Yeah, nobody's perfect," Sid said, "I've made plenty of mistakes. Plus, I'm also accident prone."

"That, I can believe," Diego said.

"Hey, Sid, we got the bags." Everyone looked to see Teddy coming in along with Granny, but none of them had any idea who she was at first.

"Uh, Sid, who are they?" Manny asked.

"You guys aren't gonna believe It," Sid said, "This is Granny. Somehow, she turned young again. Not sure how, but she turned young again. Now she has another chance for life."

"I hope you don't mind Teddy joining the herd," Brooke said, "He and Granny are staying here with us until they can find a place of their own. We hope you don't mind, Manny. It would really mean a lot to us."

"Ah, heck, why not?" Manny said, "The more, the merrier."

"Welcome to the herd, Teddy," Ellie said, "Welcome back, Granny."

"Well, all's well and end's well," Julian said. Julian shoulder pumped Diego, who hissed in pain.

"Well, mostly," Diego said.

Everyone laughed. Looks like things took a turn for the better.

* * *

 **WELL, I THINK IT'S TIME YOU TELL ME HOW I DID WITH THIS STORY. I DO NOT OWN ICE AGE.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	2. Staying With The Sabers

S1 E2

STAYING WITH THE SABERS

 **SUMMARY**

 **MANNY AND ELLIE HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A NEW HOME SINCE THE ONES THEY KEEP TRYING ARE MAGICALLY RUN DOWN HOMES. LUCKILY, THE SABERS, AND BY SABERS I MEAN SHIRA, HELP THEM OUT BY LETTING THE MAMMOTHS STAY WITH THEM. HOW WILL THIS TURN OUT? ENJOY!**

It was another normal morning in the Ice Age. The animals of the village were going on their merry way down the trail. Some were passing by the saber's cave. Diego walked outside, smelling the moist, cold air as he walked outside to get the morning leaf. A few mammals and birds greeted the male saber a good morning before he wandered back inside the cave. He looked to see his wife, Shira, cooking up something for breakfast. Diego had to admit that she was an outstanding cook, but that wasn't the only skill she had. She also had a knack for hunting, to which Diego had no problems with. He walked up and nuzzled her on the cheek, to which Shira nuzzled back.

"Morning, my beautiful huntress," Diego said.

"Morning, my handsome hunter," Shira said, "So what's in today's news?"

Diego laid the leaf on the stone table. "Looks like the village festival is coming up, and it states it's gonna be bigger than last year."

"They say that every year, but the only thing that's new is games. Games to which I'm no good at."

"Eh, neither am I, but we can be horrible at them together,"

"Oh, Diego, you always know how to brighten up a day, don't you?"

Diego chuckled. "Well, I try. So, got any plans today?"

"Nothing much, but I promised Ellie that I would help her and Manny get situated in their new cave today."

"Again? That's the fourth cave in the last two weeks. I don't get why Manny has to be so stubborn."

"It's not because of Manny, honey. Every cave they try to settle in always seems to collapse on top of them. It starts out beautiful at first, then it falls and they have to find another place. If this one doesn't work, I'm not helping them move again."

"I'm sure this one should stay up. Although, I could be wrong." Diego looked back down at the leaf. "Hey, the cougars at the market are having a sale on fish this week for half price."

"Remind me to head out there tomorrow and I'll go buy us some." Shira handed Diego his plate. "There you go. Breakfast has been delivered."

"Now breakfast will enter my mouth and disappear without a trace." Diego popped a meat chunk into his mouth. He nodded. "Tender and juicy. Just the way I like it."

"Glad you do." Shira sat down, enjoying her own meal."

Without warning, Buck smashed right inside their home, interrupting breakfast. He looked up and smiled at the saber couple. "Oh, hello there, my tiger friends. It's been a while."

"It sure has, Buck," Shira said.

"Where have you been, Buck?" Diego asked.

"Oh, I've been here and there," Buck said, "In fact, I've been all over the entire island. You know I'm not the type of mammal to settle down and live the kind of life you two have. I'm merely the one who enjoys a life of adventure."

"Buck, hasn't Manny already told you that if you're gonna be part of the herd, you had to stick with the herd?"

"I'm pretty sure he did, but clearly I don't remember. Well, I best be off now. Places to go and more adventures await." Throwing his knife up in the air, he jumped up, caught it and slammed himself on the table. He shook his head. "Well, that's gonna leave a mark. Anyway, bue-bye!" He jumped out of the cave, yelling out, "Yee-haw!" as he did so.

Diego sighed. "When will he ever learn?"

"Diego, just because Manny told him, doesn't mean Buck´s gonna listen," Shira said, "He's his own weasel. You can't change him. Who would wanna try?"

"Well, I sure don't."

Once Shira was done with breakfast, she got up, took her plate over to the dish bin and stretched out her legs. "Well, I'm off to help Ellie. Bye, baby."

"Bye, hon. Can't wait for you to come home and serve dinner." Diego growled seductively and blowed his wife a kiss.

Shira smiled. "You should know how much I love you, Diego. No need to say anything."

Diego smiled as he continued to read the leaf. Nothing could go wrong on such a marvelous day. Well, don't say nothing yet.

 **Next Scene**

Meanwhile, Ellie and Brooke were trying to fix up any damages that was, inside the cave. Unfortunately, the animals that gave Ellie and Manny the cave didn't mention anything about it being part of the meteor shower destruction. This obviously didn't make Manny happy, who was inside one of the rooms trying to fix the water.

Ellie tried patching up the holes while Brooke tested them outside to see if the sap was waterproof, but after trying everything, it was no use. None of the tree sap was waterproof. Ellie sighed. "I really don't feel like sleeping outside another night."

"Oh, great!" Manny shouted.

"What's wrong, Manny?"

"The water in this stone sink's backed up."

Ellie shook her head. "I don't think it's best to mess around with it, Manny. Can you come in here and help us?"

"As soon as I figured out the sink situation, I will."

"I think down here is much worse."

"Ellie, if I don't fix the sink now, the cave will flood."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "We´ll see what really floods after I'm finished with you." She looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, Brooke, you can come back down. There's not much we can do about the holes."

Little did Ellie know that Brooke was walking up behind her. "Oh, I wish there was something we could do about them." Ellie screamed, then placed a trunk over her chest. Brooke gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's okay. No harm done." Ellie sighed, sitting down. "That's it. I´m done cave hunting."

"Oh, but you've only been at it two weeks, Ellie dear. A little more time wouldn't hurt."

"I'm sorry, Brooke. I can't take it anymore. No matter what cave we find, it's either damaged or destroyed. From the looks of this place, it's both. Manny and I only tried this out because some antelopes suggested that it was a nice place to live. They lived in it all the way up until the meteor shower. I guess Manny and I just don't have any luck."

"Ellie, I know deep down inside, you and Manny have the best of luck if a certain mammal in the group wasn't so stubborn."

"Hey, just because Manny's stubborn, doesn't mean he's a bad guy."

I meant that in a good way. Should I get some ear cleaners for you?"

"Brooke, I misunderstood you."

"Hey, guys," Shira said, walking inside the cave. Taking one good look at it, she made a slight comment that would make Manny groan if he were in the room. "Who suggested this dump for you guys?"

"Don't say it like that, Shira," Peaches said, walking in behind the female saber, "It just has a few rough edges." She poked at the wall only for a stick to fall off. "Nothing wood hammers and stone nails can't fix."

"Hey, you two," Ellie said, "Looks like we won't need your help after all. There's nothing good about this place."

"She was still trying to go with Manny's idea of patching up the holes with leaves," Brooke said.

"I'm on the brink of losing hope. Not just me, but Manny is, too."

"Oh, great!" Manny shouted, "Now the stone shower's clogged up!"

"See what I mean?" Ellie said.

"Mom, you and Dad can't just lose hope that fast," Peaches said, "Nobody said it was gonna be easy. Building a home with your own trunk isn't as easy as you think it is, but Julian and I are making progress."

"How much have you gotten done so far?" Shira asked.

"Mainly the outside, but we're still making progress."

"Uh, hello?" Ellie said, "Have you guys already forgotten my problem?"

"Well, the only thing you can do is find another cave," Brooke said.

"I don't mean to complain, but I am tired of sleeping outside. Yes, I enjoy sleeping under the stars, but I am tired of sleeping outdoors. I just wish Manny and I could find an indoor home to live in. All this moving around is making me nauseous."

"Well, you're more than happy to come stay with Julian and I until you find another place," Peaches said.

"That's sweet, honey, but you and Julian have a life to live," Ellie said, "Your father and I are not planning on intruding anytime soon."

"Well, at this point, you don't really have much of a choice," Shira said.

Brooke gasped. "How about you come to stay with me and Sidney? Oh, wait. We already have Granny Gladys and Teddy living with us. Sorry, but we don't have anymore room." She gasped again. "I know. You could stay with Shira and Diego."

"What?!"

"That doesn't seem like a bad idea," Peaches said, "After all, your cave is bigger than the rest of ours."

"Come on, Shira darling," Brooke said, "Do it for Ellie."

At this point, Shira didn't know what to say or do. She couldn't be rude and say no since it would hurt Ellie deeply, but she had no idea what Diego would say about it. She knew the right thing was better than nothing at all. She sighed. "Okay, you guys can come stay with us. But it's only temporary. It's just until you two can find your own place."

Ellie picked Shira up, hugging her tightly. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You don't know how happy you've made me!"

"How wonderful(!) Can you put me down? I'm not much of a hugger."

"Oh, sorry." Ellie placed Shira back on the ground. "Oh, Manny!"

"Oh, great!" Manny shouted, "Now the stone toilet's clogged up!"

"You don't have to worry about the plumbing anymore, Manny," Ellie said, "I have great news. Shira's gonna let us stay with her and Diego for a while."

"Are you serious?" Manny asked, walking out of the bathroom soaking wet.

"Serious as a heart attack."

"Good, 'cause I'm tired of worrying about the plumbing issues here. You sure Diego won't mind us staying with you two?"

"I'm sure he won't mind at all," Shira said, "I bet he'll be just as happy as I am."

 **Next Scene**

"I am not happy about this, Shira," Diego said.

"Oh, come on, Diego," Shira said, "It's only temporary. Just until they find a place of their own."

"We haven't even discussed about this issue yet."

"Okay, then let's discuss it now."

"Okay. I don't want to live under the same roof as Manny and Ellie, even if it's just for a few days." Diego sat down on the stone couch, which was covered up with mammoth fur. "Discussion's over."

"No, it's not. Diego, how could you say something like that? Manny and Ellie are our friends. They're a part of our herd. Our family."

"True, but I can't stand to be around both of them after five minutes."

"Why?"

"They talk to each other too much and they argue with each other way more than that. They just bicker all day long. You can't say a word to them because they're always saying something to one another. Manny's always going blah blah blah, while Ellie always goes yada yada yada. It's so annoying."

"I know, Diego, but they don't have anywhere else to live right now. They've searched two weeks to find the right cave."

"Why? Because Manny's so stubborn?"

"No, it's not because he's stubborn. Both he and Ellie are looking for the perfect place. Come on, Diego. We'll even help them look for another cave if it'll make you happy."

Diego gave it some thought. After seeing his wife do her famous kitty cat eyes, he finally gave in. "Alright, they can stay. Only for a week, though. Maybe two if they behave themselves."

"Good, because they're on their way right now."

"Wait. As in now?"

"Yes. Now."

"Hey, guys!" Manny exclaimed, "Guess who's here?"

"I think I already have," Diego said.

"We're really happy you guys are staying with us," Shira said.

"Thanks so much for letting us stay here with you guys," Ellie said, "We promise not to become too much of a problem. So where do you want us to stay?"

"Well, we have a few spare rooms. You can stay in whichever one you like."

"Don't stay in the one on the far left," Diego said, "That's mine and Shira's room."

"Thanks for letting us know," Manny said, looking inside the room next door, "Hey, Ellie, this room has plenty of space."

Ellie walked over to her husband, looking inside as well. "You're right. It is. We'll stay in here. Oh, don't worry about making up the bed, Shira. Manny and I can handle it." The two mammoth's walked inside the room.

"This isn't gonna work," Diego said.

"Yes, it will," Shira said.

"They're staying in the room right next door to us, Shira. Do you know what's gonna happen next? Chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter. We're never gonna get any sleep."

"Would you stop complaining, Diego?"

"How can I when I won't survive a day with those two living under the same roof as us? I can handle being around Manny for a few hours of the day, but I can't handle being around him twenty-four seven. It's gonna be even worse when Ellie's around."

"Okay, then we'll keep them out of the cave during the day and we'll go out during the night. Does that sound okay to you?"

Diego sighed. "Better than nothing."

"Are you gonna complain about it anymore?"

"No, I won't complain."

"That's my big strong tiger." Shira nuzzled her husband affectionately. "Now go soak in the shower and wash those aggressions away."

"Yes, dear." Diego walked away into the bathroom. When he tried going in there, he opened the shield wood to find Manny who yelled, "Occupied!", and slammed it back against the wall. He gave his wife a look, but regained his composure. "Let's go to the Waterfall Springs and be back by dinner."

"Okay, let's go."

The sabers escaped their cave, hoping things would still be the same by the time they got home. There's one saying that's spread throughout the whole world. Don't let your hopes get too high.

 **Next Scene**

Sid and Brooke were taking a nice walk in the woods when they made their way to Waterfall Springs. They spent the last two hours running around in the waterfall and had fun doing swim races. Now they were in the hot tub pool, relaxing and soaking away life. Sid was sitting against the edge with one arm holding him up and his other arm holding onto Brooke, who was cuddling against him. Nobody really knew how those two fell in love. It was pretty much a mystery. Everyone didn't really understand Granny's love for Teddy before they turned young again. It wasn't a mystery after that.

Brooke closed her eyes, breathing in the peace that surrounded them. "Oh, Sidney, whenever it's just the two of us, nothing bad ever happens."

"It doesn't?" Sid asked, confused as to why she would say that. Sometimes bad things are prone to happening when Sid's around.

"In my opinion." Brooke brought her eyes up to Sid. "Shower me with all the sugar you can give."

"I like the way you speak your words." Sid pressed his lips against Brooke's, savoring the kiss they both enjoyed sharing.

Somehow, Sid had helped himself and Brooke climb out of the tub. They continued kissing as they rolled down a hill that lead back to the waterfall. On the way down, Scrat was trying to find a place to bury his nut at and had found the perfect spot, but became rolled on like a piece of dough by Sid and Brooke. The two sloths landed in the water and accidentally bumped into somebody. Make that two somebodies.

"Hey!" they both shouted. The sloths looked to see that it was their saber friends.

"Oh, hi you guys," Sid said, happy to see his saber friends.

"Hello, Sid and Brooke," Diego said.

"Did you both come to spend some time with your sloth friends?" Brooke asked.

"Actually, we weren't hoping to bump into either of you."

"Do you guys mind getting a room somewhere?" Shira asked.

"Wish we could, but we need to give Granny Gladys and Teddy some space," Sid said, "We want them to spend some time together."

"Wait a second," Brooke said, "Aren't you supposed to be helping Ellie and Manny move in?"

"We're giving them some space so they can move in on their own," Diego said, "We didn't want to become a bother to them."

"Oh, Diego, don't start complaining," Sid said, pinching the male saber's cheek.

"I'm not complaining, Sid. Don't touch me again."

"I know you are. I can see it in your eyes."

"Sid, you're about to make me angry."

"Let's not make each other angry here," Brooke said, "Why don't you both go and wash away all your worries in the hot tub?"

"I don't need to wash anything away," Diego said, getting out of the water.

"What's wrong with him?" Sid asked.

"He's not happy that the mammoths are staying with us," Shira said.

"I thought you said he would be happy," Brooke said.

"Unfortunately, I was wrong." Shira sighed. "I have a feeling that things are gonna turn for the worse throughout the week."

"Don't worry, Shira darling. Everything will be fine. Just give Diego some time. I'm sure things will turn out for the better."

"Let's just hope so." Shira got out of the water. "Come on, Diego. Let's go back to the cave." The two sabers made their way back home.

Brooke and Sid smiled. "Finally!" They both pressed their lips together, continuing their romantic encounter in the pool. They say you can't break up true love. Normally, that's true. Let's just see how well that works.

 **Next Scene**

Diego and Shira made their way back to the cave only to find that the entire place was rearranged. At that moment, Manny was moving the couch in a different spot while Ellie was dusting everything in the room. The sabers had no idea what they just walked inside to see.

Ellie was the first to notice them. "Hey, you two. Welcome home."

"Oh, looks like you two decided to spruce the place up a bit," Shira said.

"Yeah, the couch was too close to the show hole so I had to push it back against the wall," Manny said.

"And everything in here looked so dusty, so I decided to dust the whole place inside out until there wasn't a speck of a sniffle," Ellie said.

"That's nice of you both to do such kind things, but we don't want you having to clean up our home," Shira said.

"Nonsense. We don't just wanna sit around here like slobs and act lazy. In order to live here, we should help out."

"Shira, I think my brain is about to blow up," Diego said.

"Hush," Shira said calmly to her husband, "Okay, since the place is cleaned up, how about I make us all some dinner."

"Oh, I can help you," Ellie said.

"No, I think it would be best if I did," Diego said.

"That's okay. We can handle it."

"Diego, why don't you and Manny watch a little show and chat for a bit?" Shira said, "I think you guys should hang for a little while together."

"Actually, I was just about to go upstairs," Diego said. Shira gave him a stern look, making him sigh. "Alright, I'll do it." He walked over to Manny and say next to him on the couch. There was no reason to even think about watching a show. He keeps the couch so close because the hole was too small to see from a far away distance. He had no choice but to talk to Manny since there was nothing else to do. "So, uh, how has life been?"

"It's been good," Manny said.

"Have you done anything that's worth talking about?"

"Not much. Just cave hunting is all. I will say that the place we looked at today had a lot of plumbing problems. The cave we found before was much worse than that. It was infested with cockroaches and mice. The one we looked at before the last two was infested with roly polies."

"Roly polies?"

"Yeah, those things are creepy. I can't stand being around them. It's like they wanna roll all up in your fur and not come out. I hate them with a passion."

"You wanna talk about anything else that doesn't relate to cave hunting?" He didn't want to admit it, but at this moment, he was really starting to hate Manny.

"Well, I don't know if you remember, but there was this time when I started up a conversation with that old yak Hudson. I guess he had a lot of fleas on him that day because afterwards, I was itching a lot. I couldn't stop. Then I found out that it wasn't fleas. It was roly polies. Hard to believe, huh?"

"Definitely hard to believe." I can't believe I'm having this conversation with him, Diego thought.

"Hey, do you remember that time we were swallowed by that giant plant in the Dinosaur World? I felt as though you were starting to gain a few pounds when I was pressed up against you."

"Okay, that's nice to know. Hey baby, is dinner ready yet?"

"It will be in a minute, Diego," Shira said.

"Why don't you boys go ahead and get washed up?" Ellie said.

"Hey, last one to the bathroom doesn't get leftovers for lunch tomorrow," Manny said, running inside the bathroom before Diego could take one step.

Diego sighed. "I'll just wash up in the kitchen sink." Shaking his head, Diego made his way to the kitchen sink and scrubbed his paws.

Dinner felt like it took forever. Manny was going on and on about the hawks game that was coming up while Ellie was talking about the flower petals she was planning to wear for a friend of her's wedding shower. It was hard for the sabers to concentrate on enjoying their meal. It was even worse when it was bedtime. Manny and Ellie couldn't stop talking and they finally shut up an hour later as they snored peacefully.

Diego was about to blow at that point. "I can't take it anymore. I can't survive a day with those two here. How am I supposed to survive a week?"

"Diego, have you already forgotten our decision?" Shira asked, "They go out during the day while we go out during the night."

"I don't even think that plans gonna work, honey. I have this feeling that the moment we leave, they'll start rearranging stuff. I can't handle that. I'm going crazy just thinking about it. Sooner or later, they're gonna start thinking this is their cave. We can't let that happen. Maybe it's best if we just tell them to leave."

"Maybe it's best if we give them a chance and stick to our promise. Everythin's gonna be fine, Diego. There's nothing to worry about."

Diego sighed. "Alright. If that plan doesn't work, we need to figure something else out."

"Okay. Now go to sleep. You need some rest."

Both the sabers were resting peacefully for a little bit until a loud snore sounded from next door, jolting the tigers awake. Diego groaned. He knew they were both in for a long night.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next morning, Diego and Shira felt like walking zombies. The snore from last night was coming from Manny and they had no clue how Ellie could sleep at nights hearing something like that. Probably because she was married to him for so long that she was used to it. Diego and Shira, however, were not. When Ellie walked inside the room, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Are you two okay?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah, we're fine," Shira said, yawning, "We just didn't sllep the greatest last night. Diego kept having these weird dreams."

"Oh, you poor things. Here, let me make you guys breakfast." Ellie made her way inside the kitchen.

"No, I can still cook. There's nothing wrong with me having to cook."

"Shira, you're too tired. Let me handle it. You and Diego should go and take a nice bath."

"Hey, Diego, do you want me to run you a bath?" Shira asked her husband.

"Sure, honey," Diego said, yawning as he opened the bathroom door.

"Occupied!" Manny shouted.

Diego slammed the wood back, covering the bathroom. "Let's just rest for a little bit."

After Shira and Diego ate breakfast and took a nice, long bath, they both went back to their room to sleep for a while before they made the choice to wake up. It was about noon before they went downstairs and made lunch.

Shira noticed that Diego could hardly eat and noticed something was bothering him. "Are you okay, honey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Diego said, "Hopefully we won't have another sleepless night like we did last night."

"Just be lucky that we'll be leaving here for the night."

"Where are we gonna even go? We never did figure that out."

"Well, we can ask Peaches and Julian if we can stay with them. I'm sure they won't mind."

"Yeah, I'm sure Peaches is gonna feel sorry for us. Now I know how difficult it is living under the same roof as her parents. She's put up with it a lot longer than we have."

"I'm pretty sure she's probably used to it by now."

As unexpected as it can get, Manny and Ellie came home early. The female mammoth kept a smile on her face. "Hey, guys. We're back."

"Yeah, we can see that," Diego said. Shira smacked his front left leg. "Ow."

"So were you guys able to find a cave yet?" Shira asked.

"No luck yet, but we won't stop until we find a place," Manny said.

"We thought it would be best to stop for the day, though," Ellie said, "Hey, I know something we can all do together. Why don't we play a few games?"

"Actually, Diego and I were just about to go out," Shira said.

"Uh, yeah," Diego said, "On Thursday nights, we enjoy going out and hunting. It's something Shira and I enjoy doing together."

"Well, we can still play a few games before you guys head out," Ellie said.

"Well, we actually have a few errands to run before we take a trip out to the woods and we wanna go ahead and get that done and over with," Shira said.

"Well, we can come along with you, if you want," Manny said.

"This is something Shira and I do together alone," Diego said, "Not being mean or anything, but we just wanna do this alone."

"Oh. Okay then."

"Have fun, you guys," Ellie said, "We'll be here when you get back."

"That's wonderful," Diego said, "Come on, Shira." The two sabers walked out of the cave. "Don't forget what we talked about if this doesn't work."

"We go with another plan," Shira said.

"Exactly. Let's get out of here so they don't get suspicious."

The two sabers ran for their lives, hoping that things will still be the same when they get back. Don't lose hope, but they can lose faith.

 **NEXT SCENE** :

That same afternoon, Peaches and Julian were sitting on top of Sunset Cliff, enjoying the scenery and planning to spend the rest of the day there. Peaches leaned against her husband, enjoying the peace and quiet that was given to them. Unfortunately, the peace and quiet didn't last long. Shira and Diego just had to ruin the moment, breathing heavily after running a long distance.

"See, Diego," Shira said, "I told you they were here." She took in some breaths.

"Are you guys okay?" Peaches asked.

"We need to ask you guys something," Diego said, "Do you mind if we could stay with you two for the night?"

"Let me guess. My parents are becoming difficult."

"Yes. It's starting to drive me nuts."

"I see what you two are going through. My dad's rearranging everything and my mom's on a cleaning spree. Plus, expect my dad in the bathroom from time to time. Expect my mom to help cook since she enjoys it so much. Also, plug your ears at night. My dad's snores have worsen over the years. Other than that, just be happy that they're staying with you guys."

"How can I be happy when they're obnoxious?"

"Don't think of them as obnoxious," Julian said, "Just pretend that their the guest of honor. That's what I do."

"Is that your way of saying that my parents are obnoxious?" Peaches asked, staring at her husband.

"No, I would never say that. Your parents are the bomb."

Peaches sighed. "Anyway, just give them a chance. You'll get used to it."

"That's what I keep telling him," Shira said, "Well, minus us getting used to it."

"Can we still stay with you, though?" Diego asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea to leave them alone," Peaches said, "They are tempted to do things whether it's their home or not."

"What kind of things?"

"Oh, you know, just...more than what I said."

"Okay, that's not gonna work then. Come on, Shira." Diego started running off.

Shira shook her head. "I hate to see Diego this way, but what other choice do I have? I didn't wanna be rude and say they can't stay with us."

"I know, but it's my fault," Peaches said, "I should've warned you before all this happened."

"Shira!" Diego called out.

"Well, I better go then." Shira ran over to where her husband was.

Peaches rolled her eyes. "They should have known. I offered to let my parents to stay with us, but they wouldn't accept it."

"Don't worry about it," Julian said, "They'll get tired of it and then your parents will have to come stay with us. As long as your dad's stubborness doesn't take over."

"He's not that stubborn."

"Well, maybe Diego is more stubborn than Manny."

"Can we go back to having peace and quiet now?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." They both went back to watching the beginning of sunset. Sometimes something so beautiful can turn out to be so hurtful.

 **Next Scene:**

Back at the cave, Crash and Eddie were stuffing berries in each other's mouths to see which one could fit the most. At that moment, Eddie had the most. After not being able to fit all of them in his mouth, he spit them out at his brother, who did the same thing to Eddie. Some of the berries ended up splatting on the wall. This caused Ellie to go on a cleaning spree, wiping the juice off.

"Guys, this is not mine and Manny's home," Ellie said, "Try to respect the hospitality that's being privileged here."

"Oh, come on, sis," Crash said, "We're just trying to have a little fun."

"What?" Eddie asked, "Is fun banned from this place?"

"No, but we do need to be respectful," Ellie said, "Now stop making messes and go do something that doesn't involve cleaning it up afterwards."

"Fine," the twin possums said. Before they left the room, they saw the saber couple make their way back to the cave.

"Hey, sis, didn't you say Diego and Shira left for the night?" Crash asked.

Ellie walked over to the entrance of the cave and saw the sabers running back. "You guys are back already? That was fast."

"Yeah, all the other carnivores said it was a slow hunting day so we came home," Diego said. The possum brothers took the chance to jump on the male saber. They messed up the top part of his fur. "How did they get in here?"

"Well, they came over to visit," Ellie said, "Hope you don't mind."

"Hey, can we stay over for the night?" Crash asked.

"Please," Eddie begged.

Diego swiped them off his face. "Shira, can I talk to you for a second?"

Shira sighed, walking inside their bedroom. "What is it, Diego?"

"This isn't gonna work. We didn't agree that those two could stick around."

"I'm sorry. I forgot about those two."

"Yeah, right. You're starting to get where you don't think. You just do it."

"Oh, come on, Diego. This is starting to get ridiculous."

"Exactly. Letting the mammoths stay here is starting to get ridiculous. I'm this close to kicking them out, Shira. This close. Hate it if you want to, but it's starting to get to that point."

"Diego, please. Don't make me beg. I don't want them going back out there with nowhere else to go. I'll be nice and tell Crash and Eddie that they can't stay."

"They're not gonna take no for an answer unless you make them." Diego stuck his head through the doorway. "Hey, possum butts! Get out before I turn you into dinner for the night!" Screaming could be heard as Crash and Eddie scurried out of the cave. Diego chuckled. "That's how it's done."

"Okay, you seriously just need to calm down. Go take a bath."

"Fine." Diego walked over and removed the wood platform from the door before Manny shouted, "Occupied!" which made Diego place it back. He growled. "Manny, will you please get out of the bathroom?!"

Shira sighed. "I'll get a bed set up outside."

That night, the sabers were sleeping outside under the stars, lying on top of their outdoors bed while the mammoths were sleeping inside. Manny's snoring couldn't be heard from outside, so they knew peaceful sleeping was awaiting them for the night. Shira snuggled up close to Diego.

"Isn't this a lot better?" Shira asked.

"Yeah," Diego said, "It's calm and peaceful. I don't get why Manny and Ellie hated sleeping out here. You feel more comfortable under the stars."

"Well, goodnight, honey."

"Goodnight, babe."

A bit later, they both fell asleep, feeling cozy and warm under the moonlight.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next morning, Manny and Ellie walked outside the cave to see Diego and Shira snuggled up together, sleeping like rocks. Ellie giggled while Manny snickered.

"Come on," Ellie said, "Let's leave them alone." The two mammoths left them for the day.

It was around the afternoon when the saber's woke up from their peaceful slumber. Laughter could be heard from the cave. Diego became worried as he and Shira ran inside, horrified at what they saw. Four other mammals were sitting at the stone table with Manny there. Ellie was in the kitchen making snacks for all the guest, causing a great big mess.

Diego walked over to the table. "What's going on here?" To Shira's surprise, Diego said this calmly.

"Oh, hey, Diego," Manny said, "Ellie and I had went out to go cave hunting and I ran into some of my friends here. I asked them if they wanted to come over and play leaf poker, so here we are."

"Hey, guys," Ellie said, chuckling nervously, "Sorry about the mess in the kitchen. I figured the guys wanted some snacks." Something purple fell off from the ceiling and landed on Shira's head. Ellie gave her a nervous glance. "Sorry for that. Crash and Eddie came over and were playing around with the grape jam."

Shira tried wiping it off, but it was stuck in her fur. "That's okay. I'll wash it off later."

Diego began breathing hard, but calmed down a bit, taking a deep breath. "Manny, I believe it's best if you ask your friends to leave. Shira and I need to have a chat with you two."

"Okay," Manny said, "We'll play again next week, guys."

"Just when I was on a winning streak," an antelope said, walking away in defeat.

Once the guests were gone, Diego took a deep breath and calmly said, "Get out."

"Oh, do you need a moment to yell out to the entire world?" Manny asked, "I can tell if your mad about something."

"I am mad. You and that wife of yours have pushed me to my last limit. Get out."

"Diego, what are you talking about?" Ellie asked.

Diego suddenly lost his cool and shouted, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Everyone was silent for a moment. The only one that spoke was the tempered male saber. "I just can't take it! From staying inside the bathroom constantly, rearranging things, the snoring and so on and so forth. I'm sick of it! I just want it all out of my life! I want you two out of here!"

"Diego, calm down," Manny said.

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

"Shira, I thought you said Diego was okay with this," Ellie said.

"Well, it seems as though she was wrong," Diego said.

"I figured you wouldn't mind," Shira said.

"You figured? Well, maybe you should've known that I can't stand annoying mammals."

"I was just trying to be nice. Give them a place to stay for a bit until they could find a home. What would happen if we were in a situation like that?"

"Make do with what we have. That's my philosophy."

"That's not a philosophy. That's just stating being homeless. Don't kick somebody out unless you give them a chance."

"I have given them a chance and they blew it."

"You promised they could stay a week. You even said they could stay a week."

"Well, sometimes you just have to break them. It may not be fair, but hey, life's not fair."

"Well, whether you like it or not, they're staying."

"No, they're not. This isn't just your cave, Shira. I also live here, too. Don't forget who hunts for the both of us."

"I do the same thing."

"Oh, really? It seems to me you hunt for yourself and I bring home more just to feed you double."

"This is starting to get ridiculous. Having this fight is nothing to me."

"Well, we wouldn't be having this fight if you didn't have such a stupid mind."

Shira gasped. "Oh, so you're saying I'm stupid?"

"This is starting to get out of hand," Ellie said.

"Do you guys need us to leave the room or something?" Manny asked.

"I'd rather you guys just leave," Diego said, "Go on! Get out of here!"

"No, Diego!" Shira shouted, "You get out!"

"You can't kick me out! I live here, too!"

"Well, I just...can't stand living with you right now. Just get out. I just need to be away from you."

Diego's eyes widened. He had never seen Shira so angry before, especially around him. Shaking his head, he knew when he wasn't wanted. "Okay, I guess I'll just pack up my things."

"No, just...go."

Sighing, Diego said, "Okay, I'll go." Before he walked out, he turned around. "Let me know when they're gone and I'll come back."

"I think it's best if you don't come back at all."

Without another word, Diego walked out, not turning back. Another batch of jam fell off the ceiling and landed on Shira's head. Shaking her head, she went into the kitchen and washed the sticky mess off her fur.

Ellie walked over to her. "Shira, you okay?"

Shira sighed, tapping the faucet to turn the water off. "I'm fine. I just wanna be left alone. If you'll excuse me, I need to clean up the kitchen and start making dinner."

"Here, let me clean it up."

"No, I'll do it. I need some time alone to think, anyway."

"Oh. Alright." Ellie walked out of the kitchen. She saw Manny cleaning off the table, placing the leaf cards back in it's container. "Manny, I think this was a mistake."

"Need I remind you, Ellie," Manny said, "We were invited as guest. Besides, Shira invited us in, so she can tell us to go when she's ready. Diego has no say so in the matter."

"But he lives here, too. Wouldn't it have been better if he'd have known?"

"Come on, El. Don't worry about it. If Shira says it's okay, then there's no reason to think about it."

Ellie sighed. "If you say so." Deep down, Ellie knew something was going on. She gave Shira a sympathetic look as the female saber continued to clean the kitchen.

Later that night, Ellie and Manny were getting ready for bed when they heard a noise from next door. Ellie thought it was soft laughing at first, but after pressing her ear against the wall, it was actually the sound of crying.

"I'll be right back," Ellie said, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Manny asked, getting settled into bed.

"I'm just going to tell Shira goodnight." Walking out of the room, Ellie walked over to Shira's door and knocked. "Shira? You okay in there?"

"Go away," Shira said through her sobbings.

"Sweetheart, when someone cries, I know something's wrong. Tell me."

"You should know."

A lightbulb clicked in Ellie's mind. The argument her saber friends had. She knew exactly what to do. "Okay. Goodnight, Shira." She walked back inside the room, seeing Manny was about to fall asleep. "Come on, Manny."

"Where are we going?" Manny asked.

"To find Diego."

"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be crawling back here by tomorrow."

"No, we need to find him now. Listen next door." Ellie yanked Manny out of bed and pressed his ear up against the wall. "Hear that?"

It took Manny a moment, but he heard Shira's sobbing. "I don't think I've ever heard her cry before. I've never seen her shed one tear. Well, except maybe at Peaches and Julian's wedding, but that's probably it."

"She's crying for Diego. We need to go and find them."

"Ellie, we don't even know where to start looking."

Ellie looked out the small window to see a light outside with a show happening. She smirked. "Follow me, Manny."

"You found him?"

"We'll see."

Manny and Ellie walked out of the cave, making their way to who was watching the show.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Inside the cave, Diego was sitting in front of the show hole, a bowl of snocks next to him while watching an episode of Shadow Boa. He enjoyed the silence around him, but deep down inside, he knew something felt empty around him. He placed his head in his arms, closing his eyes for a minute. He heard a knock on the outside of the entrance. His mood changed when he saw it was Manny and Ellie.

"What are you two doing here?" Diego asked, "I left because I wanted to, not for your entertainment."

"You didn't leave," Manny said, "You were kicked out. Listen, you need to come back. Shira misses you."

"Yeah, right."

"She's actually crying for you," Ellie said.

Diego scoffed. "Like I'm gonna believe that. Shira never cries. Well, she has a couple of times, but she's not that girly."

"Come on, Diego," Manny said, "She really wants you to come home. She might not say it out loud, but her cries are like her begging." He took a look at the place. "How did you find this place?"

"I found it a few weeks ago. Shira was hanging out with her friends so I went out for a walk and saw this place. It has everything a guy like me needs."

"It's pretty big. Are there any rooms in here?"

"I think a few, but I haven't really explored this place much."

"The size of this show hole is huge. Looks pretty cozy in here. Some furniture would make this place feel like home."

Ellie gasped. "All the doors here are mammoth sized. This room in here is huge." She went inside the room connected to the right side of the living room. "This seems like the perfect place for a kitchen."

Manny walked inside a room in the middle of two other rooms. "Hey, I found the bathroom." He went inside, flushing the toilet. "The plumbing work!" He walked out of the bathroom, taking a look inside the room on the left. "Look at the size of this place. Hey, Ellie, I think I found a bedroom for us."

Ellie walked out of what could be known as the kitchen. "Which room are you in?"

Manny walked out of the considered bedroom. "Look inside the other room."

Ellie walked in the only other room left, smiling when she left. "That could be known as a guest room. Manny, this place is beautiful."

"Too bad Diego found it before us."

Diego walked over to the mammoth couple. "You guys can have this place. It's all yours."

"Are you sure?" Manny asked.

"You guys are in need of a home. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for the way I acted. I guess I don't know the meaning of hospitality. You guys are welcomed to stay with Shira and I for the rest of the night."

"Thanks, Diego," Ellie said, "You can still come back and make amends with Shira."

"I probably should," Diego said, "Come on, guys." The male saber and mammoth couple walked out of the cave. Hopefully, thing will take a turn for the better.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Diego walked towards the door of his and Shira's bedroom. Manny and Ellie had started preparing for bed again for the second time that night. The male saber took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Go away!" Shira said. Her sobs were dying down, but she was still crying.

"It's me," Diego said, "Do you mind if I come in?" No answer. Diego sighed. "I know you're mad at me, Shira. You have every right to be. I was acting like an idiot and had no respect for the people around me, especially one's that were brought in to stay with us. I'm sorry for being rude. I guess I'm just not used to living around others for extended periods of time. I was able to make it up to Ellie and Manny, though. I helped to find them a new place. They came out to find me and saw me watching Shadow Boa in a cave not too far from here. Hard to believe, huh?" Diego chuckled. Shira didn't chuckle with him, though. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for treating them the way I did. They didn't deserve it. Most of all, I'm sorry for what I said to you. Let's be honest, babe. I can be a jerk at times. You have the right to bring someone in when they go on the edge of losing hope. You don't hunt for yourself. We hunt for each other. You don't have a stupid mind. To be honest, there are times when you're smarter than I am. Okay, lots of times, but you get what I'm saying. Anyway, I'm sorry for everything. All I want to know is if you forgive me."

There was silence for a moment until the wood shield of the bedroom opened. Shira came out with tears drying away from her eyes, but they were still red around the outside. "I'll forgive you, but I need to tell you five reasons for why and give you two things to do."

"I'm all ears."

Shira slapped him in the face. "That's for being rude." She slapped him again. "That's for trying to to kick them out." She did it again. "That's for telling me I had a stupid mind." And again. "That's for just walking away."

Diego rubbed his face. "Do you have one reason that doesn't involve slapping me?"

"Yeah. This." Shira nuzzled her husband affectionately to which he returned. She looked him lovingly in the eyes. "That's for giving up your hideaway cave to give Ellie and Manny a new home."

"Well, I knew I was being a jerk about things and wanted to make it up to them. So are we alright now?"

"I'm not done. You are to let Manny and Ellie stay over for dinner tomorrow night. Also, you have to do all the chores for the rest of the week. Deal?"

"Okay, I can agree with dinner, but chores? Come on, babe."

"Diego?" Shira gave him a look.

"Okay, fine. So do you forgive me now?"

"Yes. Come on, big boy. Time for bed." Shira walked down to the bathroom. "I'll be there in a minute. I need to dry myself up." She opened the door of the bathroom to find Ellie in there. "Ellie!"

Ellie screamed. "AHHHH! Occupied!"

Shira slammed the door of the bathroom. "I really had no intentions seeing that."

"Now you know what I've been through with Manny always doing that," Diego said.

"Let's never let them stay with us again."

"Music to my ears."

The saber couple went back inside their room, giggling and laughing as they knew it was snuggle time. Apologies always bring somebody back.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next evening, the mammoth's were having dinner inside the saber's cave. A lot of talking and laughing was going on. Even Sid and Brooke joined them as well as Peaches and Julian. Crash and Eddie were hanging upside down eating grapes. Granny and Teddy had arrived late and were the last one's at the table. Needless to say, the entire family joined in.

"Gosh, Diego, I can't believe you tried to kick them out," Sid said, "Haven't you ever heard of hospitality?"

"Can we drop the subject now, Sid?" Manny asked, "You've been talking about the same thing since dinner started."

"I'm hoping Diego will learn some respect."

"I think I have, Sid," Diego said.

"Oh, Diego, don't forget that you're washing the dishes tonight," Shira said, pointing to the sink that was filled with greasy stuff to wash.

"What fun that will be."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll lend you a paw."

"Thanks, babe." The two sabers nuzzled each other.

"Well, that there was a wonderful dinner," Granny Gladys said as she and Teddy walked over to them.

"I for one enjoyed it and I don't always eat a home cooked meal," Teddy said.

"Hey, Diego, thanks again for helping us find a new place," Manny said.

"We'll go ahead and start packing up," Ellie said.

"Need any help?" Diego asked.

"Don't you have some dishes to wash?"

"I've got all night to do that. Come on. I'll help you guys get settled into your new place."

"Awww, thank you, Diego."

A noise came from outside as Buck swung inside the saber's cave. He hung from a vine as he looked around to see the entire herd. "Oh, hello mammals. Good to see you all. Are we having a party?"

"No, but we still have some dinner leftover if you want some," Shira said.

"Sounds good." Buck took as much food as he could and climbed back on the vine. "Toodles." He swung out of the cave, yelling in delight as he did so.

"I guess he decided to have his meal on the go," Julian said, "Get it? On the go?"

"I think we all do," Peaches said.

The entire herd laughed. All's well and end's well. Nothing can ever break the herd apart.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **HEY, GUYS. JUST THOUGHT I GO AHEAD AND UPDATE THIS. SUMMER VACATION IS COMING UP AND I AM OFFICIALLY DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO AWESOME.**

 **WELL, THE NEXT EPISODE WILL BE COMING UP SOON.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	3. Pop Goes The Weasel

S1 E3

POP GOES THE WEASEL

 **HEY, GUYS! SUMMARY TIME!**

 **BEFORE I DO THAT, THOUGH, I WANT TO THANK StrikeTheDragon FOR GIVING ME THE IDEA TO WRITE THIS STORY. HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO GIVE ME AN IDEA TO PUT IN IDEAS OF MY GOSH OWN. WE WORKED TOGETHER ON THIS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO USE HIS OTHER IDEAS AS WELL. I'LL TRY TO PLACE THEM IN MY STORIES. I ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN.**

 **OKAY, THERE'S A DINNER PARTY GOING ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND THE HERD IS GOING, BUT BUCK CAN'T JOIN THEM SINCE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A DATE. WHEN BUCK MEETS A FEMALE WEASEL FROM IN THE WOODS, WILL HE FINALLY KNOW WHAT DATING A REAL GIRL IS LIKE?**

 **ENJOY!**

* * *

Another day passed by in the Ice Age. The morning was beautiful, but the afternoon started steaming. It was becoming close to the beginning of summer, after all. The mammals of the village were making their way indoors to escape the heat. Manny and Ellie, on the other hand, were strolling around around outside, chatting with one another as they made their way towards the saber's cave. Manny knocked on the cave door. Shira answered it as she had a fur cloth on her shoulder. It smelled like pine trees and water so she had to have been washing the dishes. She smiled when seeing the two mammoths.

"Hey, guys," Shira said, "Would you like to come in? I just finished cleaning up."

"We'd loved to, but we're actually here to pick you and Diego up," Ellie said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" Manny said, "You and Diego have your first parenting class today with us. Sid and Brooke are gonna join in, too."

"I thought you guys said you would help to find us a professional," Shira said.

"We are professionals. So where's Diego?"

"He went out to hunt some fish. He'll be back soon."

"Don't you remember that discussion we had last week?" Ellie asked.

"I don't remember us discussing about you two teaching Diego and I," Shira told them.

"Are you kidding me?" Manny said in a whiny tone.

"I just don't remember us having that conversation."

"Maybe you shouldn't have been more concerned about that sushi you were eating," Ellie reminded her.

Shira gasped in remembrance. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. You and Manny took Diego and I out to that sushi restaurant."

"Seriously?" Manny groaned.

At that moment, Diego returned with a basket of fish. "Hey, guys. What's going on?"

"Diego , do you remember Manny and Ellie talking to us about teaching a parenting class? For you and me?"

"Yeah, I do."

"How do you remember it and I don't?"

"You concentrated more on the sushi you were eating."

"Told you so," Ellie said.

"Well, I don't think they told you that they're planning on teaching us today," Shira said.

"Aren't Brooke and Sid gonna be a part of it?" Diego asked.

"That is if they get here," Manny said.

A log car pulled up in front of the saber's home. Brooke and Sid climbed out, waving to their friends.

"Hello, mammoths and sabers!" Brooke exclaimed, "How is everyone today?"

"You're late," Manny said.

"Sorry about that," Sid said, "We were out cave hunting for Granny Gladys and Teddy. Unlike Diego, I personally enjoy them living with us. We know hospitality."

"Maybe we should've stayed with you guys."

"So are you guys ready for your first parenting class?" Ellie asked.

"I suppose," Diego said.

"I'll do anything to have children," Shira said.

"Brooke and I are doing this just in case the time for parenting comes," Sid said.

"Don't even think about having ten kids, Sid," Diego said.

"Ten kids?! Please, Diego. Brooke and I have decided to at least have five."

Brooke giggled. "Maybe six."

Up in the sky, the six mammals looked up to see Buck swinging on a vine, jumping off and landing in front of them. He looked at his friends with a smile. "Oh, hello, mammals!"

"Hey, Buck," they all said.

"Oh, you will not believe where I've been the last four days."

"Let me guess," Shira said, "You were on another one of your amazing adventures."

"Right you are, tigress," Buck said.

"Where'd you go this time, Buck?" Sid asked.

"I went into the cave where I saw a bunch of weird bug looking things on top of the ceiling."

"Stalagmites," Diego said, "You mean stalagmites, right?"

"Oh, is that what they are?" Buck asked. He jumped on top of Diego's back. "Nice name for bugs."

"Buck, how many times do I have to tell you?" Manny said, "If you're gonna be a part of the herd, you need to stick with the herd."

"Sorry mammoth, but you know me. I can't stay in one place. Still trying to get used to the life here." Buck jumped off Diego and walked inside a tree. He came back out with a wooden bowl that had sticks connected with wooden wheels at the bottom while the top part had a giant leaf used for shade. "Hope you don't mind, but I'm taking a walk around the village. The little one here wants to go on her walk." Buck held up his little pumpkin daughter, Bronwyn, for everyone to see. "Toodles!"

Before Buck walked off, two anteaters came up to the herd members.

"Hey, Manny," the male anteater said.

"Hey, Bob," Manny said.

"The Mrs. and I are just going around telling everyone that we're throwing a dinner this Friday night."

"Sounds great."

Shira was about to say something before the female anteater spoke. "Before you ask, Shira, there will be fish. Selma's gonna bring in some."

"Who's Selma?" Ellie asked.

"Cougar friend of mine," Shira said.

"Dinner sounds like fun," Sid said.

"There's a catch, though," Bob said.

"There's always a catch," Diego said.

"Everybody has to bring a date. Lucky for you three, you guys will be welcomed to come."

"Hope you don't mind, Ellie, but we made Crash and Eddie guards," the female anteater said, "They refused to bring dates."

"That's fine, Lucille," Ellie said, "My brother's motto is 'pals and never gals.'"

"Well, we'll see you guys Friday night," Bob said, "Let us know if you wanna lend a trunk. Or paw." The two anteaters walked away, passing by Buck. "Hey, Buck. You coming to the dinner Friday night?"

Buck hesitated, but smiled. "Sure. I'll try to be there." The male weasel looked down, placing a frown on his face. He sighed. "If I can."

"Hey, Buck," Manny called out, "You okay over there?"

Buck turned around, pretending to smile. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just about to head out." Placing Bronwyn in the stroller, he waved at the mammals. "Bue-bye!" He walked away, the frown returning.

Manny and Ellie turned toward the others. Ellie smiled. "Okay, girls, follow me."

"Wait, aren't we all doing this parenting class together?" Shira asked.

"For the first few sections, the guys and girls split up."

"Scratch that," Manny said, "Most of the classes will be split apart."

"How wonderful," Diego said.

"Come on, guys. Let's go."

The girls and guys split up, going their separate ways to prepare for their first parenting class.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over in the village, Buck was taking his pumpkin daughter Bronwyn out in the village. Along the way, he passed by a lot of couples who were paw in paw, trunk in trunk,...well, that's basically it, actually. This made Buck sigh in sadness, looking down at his little pumpkin.

"Well, little one, I guess it's just you and me," Buck said, "There's no girl out there for me. It's been a long time since I've seen any of my species. Doubt there's a village full of weasels nearby. Plus, I'm the type of mammal who just can't stay in one place. I have to move around. Life for me is an adventure." Buck sighed. "It would be nice to share the adventure's with somebody else. After all, once we're old and cranky, we'll find a place to settle down at."

The weasel looked to see Crash and Eddie scurrying up a tree with a vine. They started snickering and whispering to each other. Crash tied the ends of the vine on two different tree branches from both sides. Eddie placed himself in the middle of the vine, ready to launch himself. Pulling back, Crash extended out as far as he could go and slung his brother in the air. Eddie launched into the sky, shouting out, "I'm flying!" to everyone in the village. The crowd stared until the possum smacked into the mountain. They all laughed as they continued on with their business.

Buck laughed. "Ha, ha, ha! How hilarious that was! I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Oh, wait. I've done it myself plenty of times. Ha, ha, ha!" He continued walking with his pumpkin daughter through the village. He was making his way into the woods when he heard the bushes rustle. He turned his head to see who it was, but the rustling sound came to a halt. Buck became suspicious for a moment until he shrugged it off. "Eh. Come on, Bronwyn."

Little did Buck know that something was following him. What could it be? Who knows? Buck's only concern was for his child.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at Manny and Ellie's place, the female mammoth was getting everything set up for Shira and Brooke. The two watched as Ellie transformed the place into an all out classroom. She placed a log in the middle of the room while placing a stone board in front of it. Walking up to the board, she motioned for the two girls to have a seat. Shira sat next to the log while Brooke sat on it.

Ellie cleared her throat. "Ahem. Hello, students. Welcome to Ellie's Mothering School."

"Ellie's Mothering School?" Shira asked.

"Yes, Shira." Ellie took a piece of rock chalk and wrote it on the board. She turned around smiling. "Convinced now?"

"Why that name, though?"

Ellie sighed. "Well, I did have the name of Ellie's Female Parenting School, but Manny kept laughing about it. So this is it."

"I for one think it's a beautiful name, Ellie," Brooke said.

"That's Mrs. Ellie to you," Ellie said, "Only during class time."

"Can we start class now?" Shira asked.

"Yes, we can start." Ellie wiped the board off and placed three pictures in place of it. "Okay, girls. We're gonna start off with a question. What does TLC mean?"

"TLC?"

"I don't think I've ever heard of that before," Brooke said.

"Let me rephrase the question," Ellie said, "What does TLC stand for?"

"Well, let me guess," Shira said, "T stands for tough, L stands for licking, and C stands for crimson."

"No."

"Oh, I think I know," Brooke said, "T stands for terrific, L stands for lust, and C stands for compassion."

"No," Ellie said, "Okay, one letter at a time. T stands for...Ellie waited for an answer, but both the girls were clueless. She sighed. "You guys have no idea what TLC means?" Both girls shook their heads. Ellie slapped herself in the face with her trunk. "TLC stands for tender, care, and love."

"Oh, I've always wonder why people say that when others are sick."

Ellie sighed. "Looks like we have a lot to cover." She started writing down multiple facts, which happens to be drawings, on the board. Those two have a lot to learn before they become mothers, Ellie said in her mind.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Meanwhile, over at Diego's place, Manny had class setup, except for the fact that he was not as prepared as Ellie was. The two guys were sitting on Diego's couch while Manny was standing in front of them.

"Hello, students," Manny said, "Welcome to the School of Fathers. I am your teacher, Mr. Manfred."

"What's wrong with calling you Manny?" Diego asked.

"At this moment, class is in session. You are to refer to me as Mr. Manfred. Now before we begin, do either of you have any questions?" Sid raised his hand. "Yes, Sid?"

"This has nothing to do with what we're about to learn," Sid said, "Well, it has something to do with the class, but nothing about the education that-"

"Just ask your question, Sid," Manny said, cutting him off.

"Why isn't Julian joining us? He is married, after all."

"I'm not making him join the class became he's a newlywed. Plus he's my son-in-law. Family teaches family on their own time. Let's continue. Do either of you have anymore questions?" Diego raised his paw. "Yes, Diego?"

"Can we start class now before Sid can ask anymore stupid questions?" Diego asked.

"There's no such thing as a stupid question, Diego," Sid said, standing up and pointing a finger in Diego's face.

"Sid, if you don't take your claw off my face on the count of three, I will bite it off." Becoming scared of Diego's threat, Sid sat back down. "Now can we start class?"

"You're enthusiastic about about this, aren't you?" Manny asked.

"Not really, but I'm doing it for Shira," Diego said.

"Well, at least you're being honest. Now the first thing we're gonna start with is the rules of parenting. Rule number one: always be realistic. Nowadays, many parents like to set unrealistic goals about themselves. For example, don't think you're going to be great at everything, especially if you think for one second that you're going to be the greatest parent in the world. Take it from a father who has experienced it over the years. I always thought that I could do anything and make Peaches feel as though she could do it all, too. Then I started becoming overprotective, but she learned to live with it. Okay, rule number two: be the best role model you can be. That is the most powerful and influential teaching tool. Your kids are gonna follow your every move, so don't do bad habits around them. They already have your genes. Don't try to make things worse." Manny paused when Diego snickered. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Oh, no, it's just that I was thinking about something funny," Diego said.

"Would you like to share it?" Manny asked.

"Eh, sure. I was thinking about what you said about being a good role model. How can Buck be a role model to a pumpkin?" The male saber started laughing.

Manny rolled his eyes. "Is that really necessary?"

"No, not really, but you gotta admit how hilarious it sounds."

"Can you stop interrupting class, Diego?" Sid asked, "I'm trying to learn."

"Yeah, stop interrupting, Diego," said Crash, hanging by his tail on the chandelier, "You're already acting like class clown. That's my job."

"Get off the chandelier!" Diego growled, "That was a wedding gift from Louis' family."

"Oh, it was from the wiener's family. Makes me wanna swing on it more." Crash continued swinging back and forth.

"Crash, where's Eddie?" Manny asked.

"I don't know, but I better go find Buck," Crash said, jumping out the window, "Woo hoo!" A crash sound was heard. Manny walked over to see Crash lying in the flower bed. He started laughing. "Ha, ha, ha, ha! Awesome!"

Diego ran outside, slapping his forehead. "Great. Look who's gonna be blamed for ruining Shira's flowers."

A shattering sound was heard inside. Sid ran outside. "If anyone ask, that wasn't me. It was still moving when Crash jumped off it."

Diego sighed. Manny looked at his friends before smiling. "Let's resume class out here."

"Can we continue tomorrow?" Diego asked.

"Let's just finish the rules of parenting and then we'll end class."

"How many more rules do we have to learn?"

"Thirteen more."

Diego's eyes widened as he passed out. Manny sighed. His students had a lot to learn.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Back out in the woods, Buck continued walking Bronwyn. He kept hearing rustling noises in the trees. After growing tired of it, Buck removed his knife from his leaf bag and held it out, ready to use self-defense if necessary.

"Who's there?" Buck asked, "I have a tooth and I'm not afraid to use it." No answer. Buck grew tired. He was about to leave before more rustling noises could be heard. "Alright, you asked for it, mate!"

He was about to throw his knife before Eddie popped out, hanging upside down by his tail. "Cool your buns, Buck! It's just me!"

"Oh." Buck chuckled. "Sorry, mate. Thought you were those dino birds trying to sneak up on me." He put his knife away.

"Actually, we were over here," Gavin said, standing on a tree branch. His son and daughter, Gertie and Roger, stood on both sides of him. "Anyway, no time to fool around. I'm teaching the kids how to fish poach today."

"Technically speaking, fish poaching sounds better than egg poaching," Roger said, "Fish is technically known as brain food."

"Yes, but eggs have protein in it," Gertie said, "It gives me more strength to punch others in the face."

"Let's just hope it's not my face." Roger cringed a bit.

Gavin sighed. "Come on, kids. Let's go." The three dino birds flew away, making their way towards the river.

Buck focused his attention back on Eddie. "Say, where's your brother, mate?"

"He went to go bother someone else while I came out to find you," Eddie said, "Wanna go back to the Dino World and get chased by that spinosaurus?"

"No thanks. I promised little Bronwyn that we would spend some time together." Buck sighed. "Just the two of us."

"Aw, come on!" Eddie whined, "Crash and I need some excitement in our lives."

"Maybe another time, mate." Buck walked away as Eddie started making his way back to Crash and the others.

A few minutes passed by before a rustling sound was heard from up in the trees. It carried on from one tree to another. Buck stopped and removed his knife from his leaf bag, holding it out. "Alright, I'm not playing games here. Show yourself." Nobody came out. Buck raised his inside above his head, getting ready to throw it. "Alright. You asked for it." This time, Buck threw the knife, but it came back to him like a boomerang. He caught it, looking out around the tree. "Who's up there?"

Giggling could be heard and another weasel, who was a female, was hanging upside down a tree. "Hello there, mate. Good to meet you."

Buck looked at the female weasel, his eyes sparkling by all her majestic beauty. She had white orange fur with a white underbelly that puffed out a bit, but one could notice a female weasel's hips and all her curves and edges. Her eyes were a majestic blue that stared right into his. She tried to grab onto the vine, but she didn't look where she was grabbing and fell off the branch. Buck gasped and ran over to help her. "Are you alright?"

The female weasel grasped Buck's paw as he pulled her back up on her feet. She smiled. "I should be alright. I've taken more falls than just that one. Anyway, how do you do? I'm Tara." She held her paw out to shake his. While doing so, he noticed that Tara was a few feet shorter than him and maybe a year or two younger. She did seem awfully familiar to him.

"Good to meet you, Tara. The name's Buck. Short for Buckmister. Long for Buck."

"Wait a second. Did you just say your name is Buck?" Tara also had an Australian accent, but hers was not as strong as Buck's.

"Indeed I did, madam. Why do you ask?"

"You remind me of a weasel I knew from my childhood. I used to push him around and was kind of rude to him. I regret it now, but the last time I saw him was when he said goodbye to me when my family and I were moving away. His name was also Buck. Strange indeed, if I do say so myself."

"Now that you mentioned it, I remember a girl like that who used to pick on me all the time when I was a kid. Even at the end, I tried to be nice to her. It's funny, though. Her name was Tara. What a coincidence, if I do say so myself."

"It is a coincidence. We're meeting each other again for the first time in years."

"Really? I almost didn't notice you. You look so amazing. I remember the days when you used to be so rude to me, but I was still nice to you."

"I've changed a lot since then. I've actually become a lot sweeter after I moved away. I do want to apologize for that, though."

"No harm done. I must say, you have gotten prettier over the years."

"You've changed a lot, too, but why are you wearing a leaf patch over your eye? Did you join a band of pirates?"

"Actually, no. I lost it in a battle against a dinosaur. That explains how I got the tooth."

Tara giggled. "I can see that. What are you pushing around in that buggy over there?"

Buck walked over and took Bronwyn out of the stroller, showing the little pumpkin to Tara. "Say hi, Tara. This is my little boogie woogie, Bronwyn."

"Oh. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A girl. Isn't she the cutest thing?"

"She certainly is. You do realize that she's a pumpkin, right?"

"Well, of course. I do my best each and every day to take care of her."

I'm so glad to hear that. I best be heading off now. I hope you and I get to see each other again."

Buck snapped his fingers as he had an idea. "We can, actually. There's a dinner going on in the village this Friday night. Would you like to come?"

"I would be happy to come. I'll see you then." Tara wrapped Buck in a hug to which Buck returned, but had a weird sensation inside of him. He felt warm inside, but his heart was beating faster than normally and his cheeks blushed at how soft her fur is. Buck jumps back, surprising Tara. "Are you alright, Buck?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine." That was a lie. He wasn't alright. The truth is that he's never felt that way around a female weasel before. He needed some space and had to find the herd. "Well, I better go. I need to go and...catch a bird."

"Catch a bird?"

"Yes, exactly. Well, I better go. Bue-bye!" He started running off, but he turned back to get Bronwyn and waved good-bye again. Once the male weasel left, Tara have a confused look, but shrugged it off and climbed back into the trees. She had a date to prepare for.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Later that day, both parenting classes had ended. When the girls made their way to Shira and Diego's place, they saw what happened inside the cave as the boys were cleaning up the mess Crash had made earlier. Manny cleaned up the broken chandelier inside while Sid and Diego did their best to fix up Shira's flower garden. Peaches and Julian came by and were shocked to see the mess.

"What happened here?" Peaches asked.

"Did you guys have a party?" Julian asked, "If you did, I'm angry that you didn't invite us."

"Next time you see those possum uncles of yours, slap them for us," Diego said.

"Yeah, they ruined our first day of class," Sid said, "Well, Crash did, actually."

"Oh, I'm so sorry you had a rough first day, Sid," Brooke said, hugging him tightly.

"Love you, too, babe." Sid immediately returned the hug.

Shira walked over to Diego, who sighed. "Sorry about the chandelier, hon. And your flowers."

"That's alright, Diego," said Shira, "I can plant more flowers. Although, we will have to tell Louis and his family about the chandelier."

"One thing I'm not ready to do."

"I think it's best if you guys have class outside. You boys can be rough indoors."

"It wasn't even us in the first place," Manny said.

"Oh, sure," Shira said, "I'll believe that when rodents fly."

As if on cue, Buck flew above the herd, crashing into a tree. A wooden baby stroller rolled by with Bronwyn sitting in it. The herd looked up and saw Buck remove himself from the imprints of the tree and started walking around dizzy-like. He fell to the ground, flat on his face. Manny picked the male weasel up and placed him on his feet. Buck shook himself off. "Well, that was unfortunate. That's going to leave a few bruises here and there."

"Are you alright, Buck?" Brooke asked.

"Oh, yes, of course I am. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just being my own Buckish self." He placed Bronwyn in his arms. "Who's Daddy's little sweetheart? You are. You are." He started cuddling his pumpkin daughter.

Manny rolled his eyes. "Buck, what's going on?"

Buck sighed. "Alright, I suppose it's best if I tell you. The thing is...I met a girl."

Everyone was silent for a moment until Sid broke the silence. "Do you mean a fruit or a vegetable? Maybe some skull heads? Oh, I know. Maybe it's a tree?"

"Shut up, Sid," Manny said.

I know sometimes I say that I met some girl that's an inanimate object, but I'm telling you the truth," Buck said, "I actually met a girl. A weasel girl."

"Please tell me you're joking, Buck," Diego said.

"No, I'm serious. I need some help. I've never felt this way around a girl before and I need some advice. I asked her out to the dinner on Friday night and I don't know anything about dating. What do I do?"

"Are you sure you want advice?" Manny asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I bet you already know everything about a girl, if you ask me," Sid said.

Yeah, considering that you were married to a pineapple," Diego said, "Whatever happened to her?"

"He probably are her, considering that she's a fruit," Julian said, "Or maybe because her name is Pineapple."

"That's my crazy phase," Buck said, "Will you please stop fooling around and just listen to me?"

"Says the guy who says he met a girl that could be fake or some weird object," Diego said, laughing.

Shira reached out and grabbed Diego's ear. Ellie and Brooke looked to see Manny and Sid snickering and pulled their ears as well. Julian started laughing, but instead of doing what the other girls did, Peaches smacked her husband in the back of the head.

"Ow!" Julian exclaimed in pain, "What did I do?"

"There's no reason to be rude," Peaches said.

"Ow!" Manny said as Ellie continued pulling his ear, "Can you let me go, please?"

"Not until you apologize," Ellie said.

"Oh, come on," Diego said, "We were just joking around."

"Just do it!" Shira snapped.

"Whoa, no need to snap, babe."

"Apologize and we'll let you go," Brooke said.

"Well, I don't like the way you're pulling my ear," Sid said. This made Brooke pull even harder. OOOWWW! Okay! Okay!"

"We're sorry," the boys said.

The girls let go of the boy's ears. Peaches, on the other hand, but Julian in the back of the head. "Ow! What did I do now?"

"I don't know," Peaches said as she shrugged and walked away.

So Buck, now that we think that you're not lying, or not very sure if you're lying, do you mind telling us what this girl's name is?" Diego asked.

"Her name is Tara and I need your help," Buck said, "I am clueless about dating because I have never been with a real girl before. I need some advice."

"Excuse me," a voice called out. Everyone looked to see it was Gavin flying from out of the trees. "Do you guys mind keeping it down? The kids are trying to learn how to fish and I can't teach them with all this noise."

"I didn't even know we lived that close to the stream," Manny said.

"Sorry, Gavin, but I'm having a breakdown right at the moment," Buck said, "You see, I met this girl, and I'm having some issues. I have no idea what to do or how to act in front of a woman. I've never even dated a real woman before."

"Well, how did you feel when you first met her?" Gavin asked.

"Well, my heart was racing, I started feeling different when she hugged me and I remembered her from my childhood because she was my bully."

"Who would bully you, Buck?" Sid asked.

Gavin nodded. "I know exactly what you're going through." He looked at the herd. "Buck and I are gonna go over to the river and have a chat. We'll see you guys later."

The herd started piling out. Buck looked up at Gavin. "What's the plan, my dino bird friend?"

"Hop on." Gavin turned around to let Buck hop onto his back. The two started making their way over to the river.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at the river, Roger and Gertie were practicing the fish poaching skills their father taught them. Roger was sitting on a rock while watching his sister take the first try.

"Watch this, little bro," Gertie said, standing on top of a thick tree branch as she was ready to jump off. She rubbed her hands together as she backed away a bit and gave herself a running start. She jumped off and flew straight down into the river. She caused a massive wave of water to splash everywhere, causing Roger's feathers to become soaking wet. A second later, Gertie flew out of the river with a fish in her mouth. "That's how it's done." She tossed the fish up in the air and opened her mouth.

"Wait! Don't!" Roger shouted. It was too late. Gertie had already eaten it whole. Roger sighed. "You've eaten six whole fish. You'll decrease the fish population."

"Oh, lighten up, bro. You try to take the fun out of everything."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do!"

"Okay, kids, that's enough," Gavin said, landing on a tree branch, "Why don't you two go and find some sport to play? I need to talk to Buck."

"Whatever," Gertie said.

"Yes, Dad," Roger said. Both the kids started flying away.

Buck hopped off Gavin's back, sitting down on the tree branch next to him. "Okay, Gavin. I'm all ears."

"Well, it all started about eighteen years ago," Gavin said, "I was young and, let's say handsome. It was back in the Dinosaur World when I was still poaching eggs. I can only remember it like it was yesterday. I was out and about like all teenagers are. I was poaching myself a nice big t-rex egg when I saw something out in the distance. I couldn't see it at first because whoever it was, they were far away. I took a nosedive for the egg, but I didn't see the thing that was out in the distance flying right at me. Our beaks smashed into each other and I saw it was another dino bird, same as me. A female, though. The moment I looked into her eyes, it looked to me that she had good sight because she was able to point out all my flaws and features. She was beautiful herself. Plus, she was smart. That's where Roger gets his brain. Plus, his keen sight. Anyway, I got to talking to her. Her name was Ellen. She wasn't much of a bird to have a conversation with at first because she was shy. After some time, she and I got to know each other and I actually enjoyed myself. We didn't get off to a good start since we were playing catch the egg when we first met. It was a competition at first, but after that, we made an honest living seem like fun. We had the time of our lives. After about a year, I finally asked her to be my wife. She said yes. We enjoyed our lives and before we knew it, making an honest living became a bit more serious and we had a lot to think about including taking care of each other and taking care of our kids and all that. My main point being is you're never gonna find that perfect girl out there unless you start out your life right. I was just like you once, Buck. I met a girl that stole my heart, and you should, too. If there's a girl that cares about you, Buck, then don't be afraid to go out there and make a life with her."

"Does that mean I don't have to give up my life of adventuring?"

"Buck, life is an adventure. You never know what you're gonna get yourself into. I don't, either, but life can be fun if only you take the chance to make it. Ellen and I did even after we had the kids. Even to this day, she's still a part of all my adventures."

"What happened to her, anyway?"

Gavin sighed. "Sadly, Rudy was able to outmatch her just like he does with everybody else. That's why I hate that vicious monster with a passion."

"Same here, my dino bird friend."

"Well, I'm glad we could have this chat. Feel free to come by in case you've got any other problems."

Buck jumped out of the tree, saving up to Gavin. "See you later, Gavin." He started walking away before he gasped. "Oh, no! I forgot Bronwyn!" He scurried away, fearing the worst for his pumpkin daughter.

Gavin chuckled. "Ah, crazy animals these days." He made his way back to where his kids were.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Back over at the saber's cave, Diego had finished up cleaning the last of the broken chandelier. Shira was walking out of the bedroom. Shira found Bronwyn sitting outside in the stroller and Buck had left with Gavin so she decided to keep an eye on her until Buck got back.

She walked over to Diego. "Thanks for cleaning up the place, babe."

"Sure thing, hon," Diego said, "Again, I'm sorry about the mess."

"That's okay. Nothing to worry about. Just have next week's class outside, okay?"

"Alright." He looked to see that Bronwyn was sitting in her buggy, wrapped up in a leaf blanket. "Exactly why are we watching over Buck's kid?"

"Well, he would have a fit of we left her outside, so I figured we could keep an eye on her."

"But it's a pumpkin."

Shira shushed him. "Fruits have ears, Diego."

"That's not a fruit. Pumpkins are vegetables."

"No, it's a fruit. If it has a sweet taste, it's a fruit."

"Pumpkins don't have a taste. If it's flavorless, it's a vegetable."

"Fruit."

"Vegetable."

"Fruit."

"Vegetable."

"Fruit!"

"Vegetable!"

Buck ran inside the cave. "Oh, there you guys are. Have either of you seen Bronwyn?"

She's in our room," Shira said.

"Hey, Buck, can I ask you something?" Diego asked.

"Not now," Buck said, running inside the saber's room. He saw his pumpkin daughter lying in her stroller. He ran over and kissed her. "Oh, Bronwyn, I was so worried about you. Daddy won't leave you behind like that ever again. Never, never, never." He have her a few more kisses before turning back to his saber friends. "Thank you so much for keeping an eye on her. How can I ever repay you?"

"Well, you can tell me whether or not a pumpkin is a fruit or a vegetable," Diego said.

"I don't know, actually. I'll have to ask Tara. You'll see her at the dinner Friday night." Buck placed Bronwyn in her buggy and saved. "Bue-bye!" He walked out of the cave.

Shira smirked at her husband. "It's a fruit."

"It's a vegetable," Diego said.

"Fruit."

"Vegetable."

"Fruit!"

"Vegetable!"

The sabers continued arguing throughout the rest of that time.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Friday night finally came around. All the animals were making their way inside the party lot. Music began playing and the waiters were bringing out the food. The dino birds were sitting on top of a tree branch keeping watch. Crash and Eddie were hanging upside down a tree, making sure there were no stowaways. That means whoever didn't have a date wasn't allowed inside. So far, everyone that showed up had a date.

Manny and Ellie were one of the first mammals to arrive. The anteater couple, Bob and Lucille, came up to greet them. "Hey, guys. Glad you could make it."

"Thanks, Bob," Manny said. He started pulling on his leaf made bow tie. He looked at his wife. "Do I have to wear this?"

"Yes, Manny," Ellie said, fixing the flowers in her hair, "It's formal. Besides, you look nice with it on."

"But it's itchy. You didn't make me wear it at Peaches' wedding."

"That's because Sid didn't make it a requirement. Now come on. Let's go find a table." They both made their way inside.

Diego and Shira were making their way to the gates of the party. Like Manny, Diego was also made to wear a leaf bow tie. Shira was dressed to impress. She had a rose made headband on her head and her silver striped fur shined in the moonlight. She even had her claws done. Her eye shadow could be seen better in the darkness. Diego's fur looked like it was brushed back on top.

"I look like an idiot," Diego said.

"That's what you think," Shira said, "To me, you look handsome."

"You look beautiful, you know. How do you think you look?"

"Better than all the other girls, hopefully."

"You try to make all the other girls jealous, do you?"

"I try."

Sid and Brooke walked up to the sabers. Unlike Manny and Diego who hated dressing to impress, Sid actually enjoyed wearing his bow tie. Brooke had her dress all sparkled up and was wearing beauty paint on her face. While Brooke calls it paint, the other girls refer to it as makeup. She was even wearing dandelions in her hair. The back hair on Sid was combed down.

"Oh, hi, Diego," Sid said, "Hey, Shira."

"Hey, Sid," Diego said, "You hate the bow tie, too?"

"Nope. This makes me look professional." Sid pulled it out, showing how snazzy he looks.

Brooke giggled. "Oh, Sid. Shira darling, you look absolutely beautiful. Did you make that headband yourself?"

"Sure did."

"Hey, do you guys think a pumpkin's a fruit or vegetable?" Diego asked.

"That depends on how it taste," Sid said.

"Just say it's a vegetable."

"No, it's a fruit," Shira said.

"Where did this conversation come from?" Brooke asked.

"Shira and I have been arguing about whether or not a pumpkin's a fruit or vegetable," Diego said.

"It's a fruit," Shira said.

"I have to agree with Shira," Brooke said.

"I can't make a decision until I know how it taste," Sid said.

"Can't make a decision about what?" The sabers and sloths looked to see Peaches and Julian walking up to them.

Diego noticed that Julian wasn't wearing a bow tie. His hair was styled in a way any gentleman's would be. "Oh, so Shira makes me wear a bow tie, but you don't have to."

"What?" Julian asked.

"Peaches, you look so stunning," Brooke said.

"Thank you," Peaches said. Peaches had flowers in her hair along with a dab of eye shadow. She even had her hair pulled down.

"Hey, Peaches, Julian," Diego said, "Is a pumpkin a fruit or vegetable?"

"It's a fruit," Peaches said.

"Ha!" Shira said.

"Wait a second," Julian said, "Do pumpkins even have a taste to them?"

"That's what I've been saying," Diego said.

"I've had pumpkin pie before, so it's a fruit," Peaches said.

"Ah, whatever. Let's just go and eat dinner."

They all went over to the gates where Bob and Lucille greeted them inside. Before any of them wandered inside, they noticed Buck standing beside the gates.

"Hey, Buck," Sid said.

"Hello, mammals," Buck said.

"Aren't you going to go inside and have fun at the dinner?" Brooke asked.

"He said that his date hasn't shown up yet," Bob said, "No date, No dinner."

"Can't you just make an exception for Buck?" Peaches asked, "He's hardly ever around at gatherings like this."

"Sorry, Peaches, but that wouldn't be fair to all the other mammals that don't have a date, don't you know?" Lucille said.

"It's alright, everyone," Buck said, "Just go on in without me. I'm sure Tara will be here."

"That is if she's even real," Diego said. Shira punched him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Will you stop making comments?" Shira growled.

Everyone started to make their way inside. Buck stood there, waiting patiently for Tara to arrive. Almost ten minutes had passed and she still hadn't shown up. Buck began to worry. He heard the sound of flapping wings above him. He looked to see that it was Gavin.

Gavin landed in front of Buck. "Hey, Buck. Where's your date at?"

"She still isn't here," Buck said, "I don't think she's coming." He sighed, flopping on the ground. "She's probably changed her mind."

"Just give her a few more minutes. I'm sure she'll make it. Maybe she's just running late. You know how girls are and making themselves look nice for these sort of things. I have this strange feeling that Gertie might start going through the phase of looking pretty."

"Really? She doesn't seem to be the type of girl that would do that."

"Probably not, but it just gives me that strange feeling."

A cry of fear could be heard from the distance. Buck's ears perked up, hearing that shout. It was a damsel-in-distress. Whenever that was heard, it was time to get into some action.

Buck gasped. "That's a woman crying for help." He started running into the forest.

"Wait, what about Tara?" Gavin shouted. He sighed. "I'll keep a lookout." He sat there, keeping his eyes peeled in case Buck's date did show up.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Meanwhile, Buck was rushing through the woods, either running or swinging on vines. The cries and shouts of fear were growing louder by the second. He saw where it was coming from. Out in the distance, Buck saw a black fur male weasel grabbing an arm of another weasel. He couldn't recognize who the weasel was at first, but when they spoke, the fearful mammal had the voice of a female.

"Let go of me!" the female weasel shouted. Buck realized who it was. Tara was being attacked by the buffed up weasel standing in front of her.

"You can't escape from me forever, Tara," the blacked fur weasel said, "I told you I'd make you my girl. It took a lot of searching, but I finally found you. You're gonna become my mate even if I have to force you."

"I'm my own weasel, Stephen. You can't make me."

The weasel known as Stephen gripped hard on Tara's arm and yanked it. He slammed her to the ground, causing her to hold her arm in pain. "I'm not gonna take no for an answer." Stephen rose his hand up, ready to slap her, but luckily Buck came up and seized the day by pulling the strong weasel away from Tara and slammed him into a tree. Stephen growled. "What gives?"

"You should know that yourself," Buck said, "What's the big idea taking advantage of her?"

Stephen stood up straight, showing a huge scar on his chest. "Don't think I'm scared of you."

Buck held up his fist, staring the buffed up weasel in the eyes. "Alright, let's do this." He looked over at Tara. "You might wanna hide. This is about to get crazy." Tara nodded, running over to hide behind a tree, holding her sore arm.

Stephen looked Buck in the eyes. "You sure you wanna do this? I could snap you like a twig." He started laughing, but Buck punched him in the face. The buffed up weasel held his face. "Ow! Oh, You wanna play, huh? Well, I like to play, too." Buck continued punching him. Stephen's face turned red. "Okay, now you're just making me angry."

"Okay, try punching me," Buck said. Stephen smiled, knowing he was given permission to injure the one-eyed weasel. When he swung his fist out, Buck moved away quickly. "You missed me. I'm right behind you." Stephen turned around quickly, swinging his fist out, but Buck wasn't there. "You gotta be quicker than that. I'm beside you." Stephen swung his fist at the side of him, but now Buck was underneath him. "I'm in between your legs." Stephen swung his fist underneath, but he ended up hitting himself where the sun doesn't shine. Buck was sitting on top of the buffed weasel's head. "I'm above you now." Swinging his fist finally knocked Stephen to the ground as he punched himself in the face. Buck started laughing. "That's what you get." He walked over to Stephen and stomped on his hand. "Listen up, weakling

I never want you messing with another woman ever again. You got that?"

Stephen jumped up. "Okay, I'll...I'll leave." He started running away.

Buck had a club in his hand with a coconut lying on the ground. He looked out in the distance and called out, "Fore!" and smacked the hard, round fruit. It went so far and smacked Stephen in the head, knocking him out. He turned his attention to Tara, who was still hiding behind the tree. "It's alright, Tara. He's gone. You can come out now."

Tara quickly ran up to Buck and hugged him tight with her one good arm. Buck was surprised at first, but he hugged her back. She looked him in the eyes. "Thank you, Buck. That's what not the first time Stephen's done that."

"Well, as long as I'm her, he won't come near you again," Buck said, placing his paw in hers, "Come on. I'll take you back to my place." Paw in paw, the two weasels started to make their way back to the village.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Later that night, the herd was walking down the trail, exiting out of the woods and making their way towards Buck's place. He had never shown up to the dinner with Tara, so they all left to go search for him. Diego and Shira were still arguing about whether or not a pumpkin was a fruit or vegetable. The others were starting to get annoyed by it, even Manny and Ellie, who had no idea that the two sabers were having an argument about anything until that moment.

"I'm telling you it's a fruit," Shira said, "If the seeds are visible on the inside, they are currently known as a fruit."

"You can see seeds inside a vegetable, too," Diego said.

"No, you can't. Of all the vegetables I've had, you can never see a seed inside. You can't see a seed inside a carrot."

"What's it gonna take to convince you?"

"Will you two quit it!" Manny shouted.

"No!" the sabers exclaimed.

"Why don't we all just let bygones be bygones and admit that a fruit is a fruit and a vegetable is a vegetable," Ellie said.

"I don't think they're gonna let this go," Sid said.

Buck scurried his way over to them in a flash. "Oh, hello, mammals."

"Buck, we didn't see you at the dinner," Manny said, "Did your date not show up?"

"Well, actually, she had a little run-in with a buffed up guy that tried to make her his girl, but I took care of him," Buck said.

"Why didn't you guys just come by afterwards?"

"Manny, stop asking so many questions," Ellie said.

"I'm just concerned, Ellie," Manny said.

"Well, she's inside right now if you guys still wanna meet her," Buck said.

"We'd love to," Brooke said.

"Follow me." They all followed Buck inside his cave, where they All saw a girl weasel sitting in the stone chair, smiling and waving at the herd. "Everyone, this is Tara."

"Oh, so she is real," Sid said. His ear was suddenly yanked by Brooke. "OW! Nice to meet you, Tara."

Tara giggled. "It's nice to meet you all, too. You must be the wonderful family Buck has told me so much about."

"We sure are," Manny said.

"What happened to your arm, dear?" Ellie asked.

"Oh, this guy I once knew tried to make me his girl and I refused so He knocked me down," Tara explained.

"Oh, you poor thing."

"Luckily, this brave warrior came up and rescued this damsel-in-distress," Buck said.

"Oh, please," Tara said, "Don't refer to me as that."

"Well, it's good to see that Buck has met someone like you," Diego said.

"Now he won't leave to go on so many adventures all the time," Manny said.

"Manny!" Ellie exclaimed sternly.

"What? Just a suggestion."

"Sorry, mammoth, but my life of adventure isn't over yet," Buck said, "Besides, Tara and I already have something in common."

"What's that?" Sid asked.

"We both love to go on adventures," Tara said.

"Oh, come on!" Manny shouted.

"That's right, mammoth," Buck said, "Once Tara's arm heals up, the both of us will be exploring the depths of Switchback Cove. But it's starting to get late. I better start getting Tara home."

"Well, goodnight, you two," Ellie said.

"Goodnight," Tara said, "It was wonderful to meet all of you." The two weasels walked out of the cave and made their way to Tara's home.

Manny sighed. "Well, I guess you can't always get inside Buck's mind."

"It's not easy," Diego said, "He has smarts, but sometimes his craziness tends to get the best of him."

"Ah, come on, guys, Buck's not that bad," Sid said, "Sure he's deranged, but he does have a heart."

"Hey, Sid, I've been meaning to ask," Shira said, "Where's Granny Gladys and Teddy?"

"They had already planned to go to the hot springs instead of dinner."

"Who would've wanted to miss a dinner like that? I was actually enjoying myself."

"Oh, really?" Diego said, "We were having a conversation with Manny and Ellie. Do you remember what we talked about?"

"Uh...was It something about the steak?" Shira asked.

"You don't remember a thing."

"Honestly, Shira, when are you ever gonna pay attention to the mammals around you?" Manny asked.

"As long as there isn't food around, I might pay attention," Shira said.

"You know, I think Buck and Tara would make a wonderful couple," Ellie said.

"Well, any friend of Buck's is a friend of ours," Manny said, "Tara is officially a part of the herd."

"You know, Manny, whenever you say that, it just makes you look so cool," Julian said.

"Are you referring my kindness towards others?"

"Yes!"

"Well, in that case, I consider you cool, too."

"Whoa! Really?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

They all laugh as the scene shows the moon whining in the sky, high above the island.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The night is still strong as a small cave is shown sitting in the midst of the woods. Walking up to it was Buck and Tara. The female weasel's arm was wrapped in a sling as she used her good hand to hold Buck's. They stopped in front of the entrance as both weasels were looking into each other's eyes.

"Well, this is my stop," Tara said, "You're welcomed to come and visit whenever you want."

"Thanks, Tara," Buck said, "The same with you. Rest up your arm now. Don't forget to see the doctor if you need to."

Tara giggled. "I will." She placed her paw on Buck's cheek and kissed him in the same spot. She looked back into his eye and smiled. "Goodnight, Buck."

Buck smiled, hugging her gently. "Goodnight, Tara."

Tara walked inside her cave, waving goodnight to Buck. The one-eyed weasel walked away, looking up with a smile on his face. It wasn't too long before Gavin flew down and noticed Buck was in such a good mood.

"Well, look who's in a good mood," Gavin said, "I'm surprised that you didn't make it back in time for the dinner. What happened?"

"Well, I ran into the woods and found Tara being attacked by a weasel bigger than me," Buck said, "He tried acting all tough and everything, but he couldn't stop the Buckminster." Hep placed himself in a fighting stance. "You wanna know what I did?"

"Let me guess. You moved around from behind, beside, above and under, causing him to beat himself up and made him run away. Them you decided to play golf and knocked him over the head."

"How'd you know?"

"I saw everything that happened. I have wings and can fly, you know."

"Right you are, Gavin."

"Say, Buck, where's your pumpkin daughter?"

Buck gasped. "Did I leave her alone again? Gotta go! Daddy's coming, Bronwyn!" Buck scurried off like a maniac.

Gavin chuckled. "I know what he's going through. It's not easy being a single parent." Continuing to chuckle, Gavin flew off the ground and flew underneath the moon.

The moon was shown close by as all was well in the Ice Age for another night.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **WELL, I HOPE ALL ENJOYED IT. I THINK THIS IS THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP FOR BUCK AND TARA.**

 **WELL, UNTIL NEXT TIME.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	4. Pie in The Face

S1 E4

PIE IN THE FACE

It was a warm summer morning in the Ice Age. The Sun was shining and the snow wasn't melting. That was the thing about the Ice Age. The only season you could feel was winter most of the time, but even if the temperature was seventy degrees, the snow would still be sticking on the ground. Although, some parts of Switchback Cove wasn't covered in frozen ice. A huge valley laid on the east side of the village, coated with green grass and various flowers. In the midst of it laid Sid and Brooke, who were lying down flat on their backs watching the clouds pass by. Brooke was lying on top of Sid, who had his arms around her, snuggling his wife as if she were a soft teddy bear. In his opinion, she was since she kept her fur nice and soft.

At that moment, Sid spotted a cloud that was shaped like a pineapple. "Look, a pineapple. I wonder if Buck's wife looked like that."

"I'm so confused," Brooke said, "Does Buck believe that edible objects are living creatures?"

"Only in his world, I suppose."

Brooke gasped. "Look, that cloud looks like a unicorn. But does it look like Bubbles or Misty?"

"I get so confused. Which one is Bubbles and which one is Misty?"

Brooke giggled. "It can be hard to tell which is which sometimes."

"Hey, I see a cloud that's shaped like a potato."

"What's a potato?"

"I don't know. I just made it up." Sid gasped. "Oh, look! Pie!"

"Are you hungry, Sid? I think you're imagining clouds that are shaped like food."

"No, there's a cloud shaped like pie up there." Sid pointed up to the pie shaped cloud floating in the sky through the valley. Sid sighed peacefully. "It makes me think about Puffer's Pie Treehouse whenever I see anything that looks like pie."

"Puffer's Pie Treehouse?"

"Yeah. Puffer makes the best pie. He first opened up his pie shop on the same day Manny, Diego and I first made it down to the south. I'll never forget. It was the night of his grand opening and the three of us went inside and Puffer went to every table preparing his original pie. It's called The Original. Oh, I'll never forget sinking my teeth into something so delicious. It was the first time my friends and I ever hung out together. How wonderful it is to have great memories."

"So is Puffer's pie shop still opened?"

"Oh, of course. Wherever the village goes, he goes and takes his business with him. He always remembers his recipes."

"Oh, I would love to try one of his pies."

Sid gasped. "You mean to tell me that you have never had a slice of Puffer's pies before?"

"No. I didn't hear about it until now."

"Oh. Well, I can't blame you for that. Still, we need to get some pie into you. You can't be a part of this herd without trying one of Puffer's pies. Before you can eat any other pie, you must try The Original. It's known as tradition."

"Well, I don't wanna go against tradition. Come on. Let's go."

"Wait, you wanna go now?"

"Yes! I wanna try my first ever pie from Puffer's Pie Treehouse."

"We can't just go right away. We gotta invite the herd with us. I've never known of anybody that has ever went to Puffer's Pie Treehouse alone."

"Well, let's to find the herd." Grabbing Sid's paw, the two sloths ran through the valley to find the herd members. Brooke's excitement was getting the best of her.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Meanwhile, the herd members were relaxing over by the lake. Diego and Shira were having swimming races, Peaches and Julian were having a splash fight, Crash and Eddie were playing water pranks on each other, Granny Gladys was getting a massage from Teddy, Manny and Ellie were relaxing on the shore, and Buck was playing with his pumpkin daughter, Bronwyn.

The sabers were making their way over to the other side of the lake. So far, Diego hasn't won any races yet. Shira knew the water more than he did. It was gonna be a close one. Before he could see it coming, Diego was pushed back by a large wave. This caused Shira to win first place.

"Well, I guests that proves it," Shira said, "I'm the fastest swimmer."

"Oh, come on," Diego said, "I was going easy on you. It's called being a gentleman and letting the lady have her chance."

"Yeah, right. Face it, hon. I rule these waters now."

"Oh, you talk a big game, babe. Alright, let's race again."

"Actually, I'm getting kind of tired. We'll race more later." Shira climbed out of the lake and started shaking the water out of her fur. She looked over at her husband. "You coming, sweetheart?"

Diego was too mesmerized by the shaking of his wife's fur to even think about climbing out of the water. "Oh, yeah. Coming, dear." He made his way over to Shira.

Peaches was laughing as Julian was spraying water on her with his truck. Her giggling was harder this time. "Okay, okay. You got me that time."

"Okay, Peach," Julian said, "Your turn. I'm ready for whatever you bring to me."

"You asked for it," Peaches said. She placed her trunk in the water and suck up as much of the lake that would fit. She pointed it towards Julian and a great splash blasted in the male mammoth's face. Peaches opened her eyes to see she had moved him ten feet back. "You okay, Julian?"

Julian started laughing. "That was awesome! Do it again! I'm ready when you are."

Peaches giggled. Before she could place her trunk in the water again, a leaf balloon hit her in the face, filled with water. She looked to see her uncle's giggling to themselves as they were hanging upside down a tree. Peaches sighed. "Of all the days to relax, those two can't take a break from pranking for one minute."

"You do realize we can hear you, right?" Crash asked.

"I know," Peaches said, "I just like to say it out loud."

"You can't stop us from pranking," Eddie said, "There's no way you can prank us back." A huge splash of water hit the two possums, sending them both into the lake.

Peaches walked up to the both of them. "I might not, but that doesn't mean Julian can't get you back."

"Can I do it again?" Julian asked.

"You have my permission."

Crash and Eddie screamed. "Retreat!" They scurried off, passing by Granny Gladys and Teddy.

Teddy was giving Granny Gladys her favorite series of massages. Her boyfriend's only charge was to make her happy and that's exactly what Teddy planned to do. After he was finished, he placed Granny in his arms. "I love to make you feel happy. Just giving massages is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You wanna know what else makes me happy?"

"What?" Granny Gladys asked.

"You." The both of them kissed long and passionately, grossing out the two possums that were sitting in the tree above them.

Meanwhile, Buck was playing with Bronwyn in the sand as the two of them made sandcastles. Well, Buck did since he was the only one that had arms. He had put the finishing touches upon it. "There. All done. And we built it together. Yes, we did." Buck began hugging his pumpkin daughter.

Manny and Ellie were watching Buck the whole time. They were both lying on the ground replacing and watching the others. Manny sighed. "I still don't understand why Buck can't just act normal."

"Manny, you can change a person by how they look, but you can't change their personality," Ellie said, "Try to appreciate Buck for who he is."

"I don't even understand that, either. I did tell him I would never doubt him again."

"That's right, honey. Remember the words you say."

At that moment, Brooke and Sid ran up to the herd. Brooke started spinning and sanding happily all over the place. "Hello, everyone. Let's all go to Puffer's Pie Treehouse."

"Uh, Brooke, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're all trying to enjoy a relaxing time out here," Diego said.

Well, let's all go and relax at Puffer's Pie Treehouse. I've never had any of his pies and I'm dying to try some." The herd gasped. Brooke gave a smile of happiness. "I knew you would react this way. In order for me to officially be part of the herd, I have to eat The Original. Sid told me about how it was the first place that he, Manny and Diego had spent time together and officially became the best of friends."

"Well, that's not the only memories that we've had over there," Manny said.

"Everything that's ever happened in this herd happens at Puffer's Pie Treehouse," Diego said.

"That's where Manny took me out on our first date," Ellie said, "He even got Puffer to cater for us at our wedding."

"That's also where Peaches ate her first slice of pie," Manny said.

"That's the place where Eddie and I started our first food fight," Crash said.

"It was also the first time Puffer ever kicked us out," Eddie said.

"We were lucky he didn't ban us from ever going there."

"That's actually where Shira and I started our honeymoon at," Diego said.

"Best slice of pie I ever had in all my life," Shira said, "Diego is a way better dessert, though."

"That's where my friends and I always hang out at," Peaches said.

"I took Peaches there on our first date," Julian said.

"Luckily, I had Puffer cater at their wedding," Sid said.

"Now the time has come for you to be a part of those memories, Brooke," Manny said.

"What about me?" Buck asked, walking up to the herd, "I'm eager to try some pie myself."

"So am I," Teddy said.

I don't know if I remember eating some of Puffer's pie before," Granny Gladys said.

"You have, Granny," Sid said, "I took you over there once and you loved the pie. You ended up making me chew the crust for you, though."

"Like you all said. Puffer's Pie Treehouse is a place where memories happen."

"What are we all standing around here for?" Brooke asked, "Let's go!"

"She's eager to get herself some pie," Ellie said, "Just talking about it makes me hungry."

"Let's go, everyone," Buck said, "To Puffer's Pie Treehouse we go."

The herd started making their way into the village where the afternoon was starting to light up.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

It was a full house inside Puffer's Pie Treehouse. When is it not? Lots of mammals would be sitting or standing in a line outside the restaurant just waiting for a seat. You could be there for hours, but nobody mind as long as they get their mouths full of pie. When afternoon time rolls around, the place begins to grow pack. The herd was able to take the only largest table the place had. Puffer was there in person to greet them all. He was a medium small sized bird who would resemble a flamingo, but he was a slate color with a short beak and silvered colored eyes. Normally he would keep a straight face, but when the herd came around, he would always show a smile.

"Welcome, everyone," Puffer greeted, "It seems as though you all are growing bigger and bigger. I enjoy the company you all bring here. It places a smile right on my face. What can I get you all today?"

"We need an Original, stat," Sid said, "My wife here has never had a pie before in this place. She needs one as fast as you can make it."

Puffer nodded, replacing his smile with his usual straight face. "I shall gather my pie making equipment." Be began placing everything upon the table, looking at the audience before him. "Feast your eyes on a show that will astound even your very souls." Without hesitation, he began the baking process. From ingredient to ingredient, you couldn't tell what he was adding since he did it so quickly. They could see that he added sugar, whipped cream and the filling that was always kept a secret. Nobody knew what the filling was called. It was only known as The Filling. Once Puffer finished mixing everything, he placed it over the fire where it baked in the nick of time as a slice was placed on a wooden plate and given to Brooke. He handed her the fork. "Dessert is served."

Without any sort of pause or look of disgust, Brooke took the fork and placed a piece of pie upon it. She took great care in taking the first bite as she set it gently in her mouth. That's the moment she felt as if she were in pie heaven. The flavor inspired her taste buds. There was nothing wrong with it. It was great. Amazing! All of it was. She looked at Puffer with a huge smile on her face. "It's amazing! In all my years, I have never had a dessert that's tasted this great in all my life. I know you must get asked this question a lot, but can I have your recipes?"

"I'm afraid I cannot give you my recipes," Puffer said, "There is one thing I can do, though. Give you more of my famous pies. My work here is complete. Since you all brighten my day whenever you come here, I want to give you all some pie on the house."

"Alright," Manny said, "Now we're talking."

Soon, hyrax waiters and waitresses were bringing out different varieties. Banana Cream Pie, Cherry Pie, Cocoa Crumble Pie, etc., etc., etc. Let's face it. It's an all-you-can-eat pie buffet. The entire herd was enjoying every taste they could bite. Just being inside Puffer's restaurant got them to talking about the good old days.

"You know, I'll never forget the time Diego actually choked on his own fork here," Sid said, laughing.

Diego rolled his eyes. "That doesn't compare about the time you almost choked on a pie pan."

"I was in love with the pie. I couldn't help myself."

Brooke giggled. "Well, I know this is a memory none of us can forget. Thank you all so much. Today we celebrate with pie."

"I'll eat to that," Shira said, taking a fork full of pie and shoving it into Diego's mouth.

Diego nodded with a full mouth. "So will I."

While everyone was eating, a hyrax waiter scurried his way over to the herd's table. He made his way over to Sid as he began pulling on the sloth's fur. Sid looked beside him. "Oh, hello. Have you come to refill our drinks?" The hyrax shook his head and motioned for Sid to come closer. He began whispering in the sloth's ear. "What?" A pause. "Are you kidding me?" Another pause. "No, you can't be serious." Another pause. "This is terrible. I can't believe this is happening." Once again, another pause. "I promise not to tell anyone. You can trust me." The hyrax nodded and started running off before anyone else became suspicious.

Manny and Diego were the only one's to notice. Diego looked at Sid. "What was that all about?"

"I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone," Sid said.

"Come on, Sid," Manny said, "You know you can't keep secrets from your friends."

Sid stuffed a bunch of pie in his mouth. "Sorry. I can't talk with my mouth full."

"You're already doing it. Come on. Spill it."

Sid sighed, knowing he had no other choice. "Okay, okay. Come closer." Manny and Diego did so as Sid whispered the one thing they were not hoping to hear. "Puffer is planning to close down the pie restaurant."

"WHAT?!" Manny and Diego shouted together.

Everyone stared at Manny and Diego as if they were crazy mammals. They pretty much were, anyway. Manny chuckled nervously, standing up. "Sorry about that, folks. Uh, go back to what you were doing. Nothing more to see here." Once everyone went back to eating, Manny sat down and slapped Sid on the back of the head. "Why did you go and tell us that?"

"You forced me to say it," Sid said, "Plus, I warned you."

You didn't warn us about how bad it was gonna be," Diego said.

"Actually, I did. I did stuff my mouth with pie trying to not tell you guys."

"That's not a warning, Sid," Manny said.

"What is going on with you boys?" Ellie asked.

"We can't tell you," Sid said, "It's a personal matter that is something only men like us can know about."

"How personal is it?"

"It's a very personal matter," Diego said.

"It's a matter that's so personal, you girls would make fun of us about it," Manny said.

"Are you trying to hide the fact that you're really fat underneath all that fur that you state all the time is big and poofy?" Shira asked.

"No, that's not it at all."

"You know, Shira, Manny says the same thing about your hips," Crash said.

"Yeah, he thinks that the fur around them makes them look even bigger than how big they look underneath," Eddie said.

"He said what?" Shira growled softly, yet with much anger.

"I never said anything about your hips," Manny said.

"Correction," Sid said, "You did say something about that."

"I did not."

"Don't deny it, Manny," Crash said, "It was during guys night out last weekend When you had told us."

"I was there with you guys the whole time," Diego said, "How was Manny able to say anything like that?"

"That's actually false, Diego," Eddie said, "You left for just a minute to take a look at the seafood buffet. It didn't take long for Manny to say it."

"You should've seen how he did, though," Crash said, "He said, 'Okay, so you know how people call me fat, but I'm just really big and poofy? Well, I think Shira is the opposite of that. She says that her hips aren't fat, but I think they are and her fur around them just makes them look even bigger. Don't tell Diego I told you guys that.' Boy he was stupid to think that we wouldn't tell anybody."

"But we did, anyway."

"Everyone, including the sabers, gave Manny stern looks. The male mammoth gave them all nervous glances. "I promise you guys that I would never say stuff like that. Crash and Eddie are talking crazy."

"I can't believe you, Manny," Diego said, "You made fun of my wife's hips when my back was turned."

"I didn't!"

"I feel so ashamed of you, Manny," Sid said, "I can't even look at you the same way again."

"I bet you won't, Sid," Diego said, "Right after I'm done with him, he won't have a face anyone can look at."

Manny looked over at Shira and smiled nervously. "I suppose you heard all that."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Shira shouted.

Everyone looked over at the herd's table again. Sid stood up. "Continue eating your pies, everyone. Nothing more to see here." The entire restaurant went back to what they were doing.

Puffer made his way over to the herd's table. "Is everything alright over here? There has been a lot of commotion."

"Sorry about that, Puffer," Manny said.

"Puffer, do you mind bringing over a few Whip Cream Cocoa pies?" Shira asked, almost on the verge of tears, "Oh, and bring over some to go boxes."

"Yes, right away." Puffer ran off to make the order.

"Shira, are you okay?" Ellie asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm alright,"Shira said, "If you guys will excuse me, I need to go to the ladies' room." The female saber walked off, crying as she did so.

"Thanks a lot, Manny," Diego said, "It's gonna take forever to prove to my wife that her hips are not fat."

"I never said that to begin with," Manny said, "Crash and Eddie are telling fibs."

"No, they're not, Manny," Sid said.

"Shut it, Sid!"

"Hey, easy there, Manny," Brooke said, "You really need to start controlling that temper of yours. Maybe you should attend yoga classes with me. That always controls the anger inside you."

"Peaches, I think it's best if we slip away right now," Julian said.

"No, Julian," Peaches said, "We still need to pay our part of the check."

"Waiter, can we get the check and a few to go boxes, please?" Ellie asked.

Puffer walked over to the herd. "Here are the Whip Cream Cocoa pies and to go boxes for all of them." He placed almost two dozen pies on the table.

Diego took the boxes. "I'm gonna go find my wife and we are leaving. Give Manny the bill." The male saber started walking away.

"Come on, Diego," Manny said, "I never said anything about Shira's hips." The hyrax waiter brought more to go boxes and the bill. Manny's eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw the total. "What?! This bill is outrageous!"

"You say that every time we come here, Manny," Ellie said.

"While everyone else paid for their part of the check, Manny sighed. First he finds out that Puffer is planning to close down his restaurant and now Crash and Eddie had to bring up the fact that he said something about Shira's hips. Nothing about this day was great at all. What else could go wrong?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day, Manny and Sid were walking down the trail as they were heading over to Puffer's restaurant. They decided that it was best to talk to him about the situation at hand. After all, without his pies, where would the herd go to celebrate the holidays and birthday parties? Pies like that deserves a life long chance.

Manny's main concern at that moment was the check. He clearly remembered that Puffer said the pies were on the house and the waiter still brought over the bill. "It's ridiculous. The pies were on the house and we still get charged for them."

"Pie ingredients aren't cheap, Manny," Sid said.

They're supposed to be free. We live in a forest. An island, to be exact."

"Let's change the subject. Why didn't Diego come with us?"

The two of us aren't exactly getting along right now after what happened yesterday. He didn't even say hey to me when I went outside to get the Morning Leaf. That's how angry he is with me."

"Well, Manny, you have to be careful with other animals emotions. Especially with carnivores."

"I didn't wanna bring it up. Crash and Eddie were the one's that said it. Once I find those little hanging tail rodents, I'm gonna kill them."

"Brooke was right. You should start taking yoga classes with her."

"I don't have anger issues, Sid."

I wouldn't say that. Let's just change the subject. We need to plan out what we want to say to Puffer. We can't just walk in and say hello to him and then happily blurt out that his restaurant is closing down and we want to help in any way possible."

"We can just go inside and ask Puffer if we can talk to him in private. Then we'll explain everything. Sound like a good plan?"

"The best I've heard all day."

The two mammals continued down the trail until they made their way inside the pie restaurant. Puffer was by the door once they walked in. "Manny, Sid. How wonderful it is to see you two. How may I serve you today?"

"Puffer, we need to talk to you in private," Manny said.

Puffer nodded. "Ah, yes. Of course. Follow me." They followed Puffer inside the empty kitchen. "I know what you're thinking. There should be waiters in here. I am the only one that makes the pies. We will be alright in here. What can I help you both with?"

"Puffer, is it true?" Sid asked.

"Is what true?" Puffer asked.

"Are you planning on closing down your pie restaurant?" Manny asked.

Puffer's eyes widened. He figured somebody would figure it out sooner or later. He sighed. "It is true."

"No!" Sid said, placing his paws on the sides of his head.

"Puffer, there's no reason to close it down," Manny said.

"I don't have a choice," Puffer said.

"Everybody has a choice, Puffer. What's going on? Are you going bankrupt or something?"

"No, no. I am making wonderful business here."

"What's the problem?"

"It is time for me to retire."

"Retire?" Sid asked.

"Yes," Puffer said, "Don't get me wrong. I love making pies for everyone. It's what I enjoy doing the most. I'm not going to live forever and I need someone to take over the restaurant."

"Who will take it over?"

"I was hoping that my daughter would, but I don't think she would want to."

"How do you know?" Manny asked.

"I've never given her a chance to make any of the pies," Puffer said, "It's not that I don't think she can do it. I'm just not sure of she's ready. I've never even given her the recipes and she is family."

"You know, Puffer, it's always important that you give people a chance," Sid said.

"That's not what Puffer meant, Sid," Manny said, "All he needs to do is show his daughter what making pies is all about. That way, she'll want to make the pies and continue on with the legacy of Puffer's Pie Treehouse."

"And them the restaurant won't have to close down. What do you think, Puffer?"

Puffer thought about it for a moment before giving a grin. "I'm all for it. I will began teaching her first thing tomorrow."

"I like the sound of that," Manny said.

"We'll see you then," Sid said.

The two mammals walked out of the restaurant. They were hoping that things would go well and Puffer's daughter would learn well and enjoy making pies. That's all they could hope for. After all, you can't force somebody to do anything.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That same morning, Ellie went over to the saber's cave with a homemade pie made by her own trunk. She thought it would be a kind gesture as to see if Diego would accept Manny's apology that he kept telling her to give to the male saber. Knocking on the door, she wasn't surprised to see Diego. She figured Shira was busy at the moment.

"Hey, Diego," Ellie said, "I just thought I'd come over to see how you and Shira were doing."

"We're fine," Diego said kindly.

Ellie smiled along with him in order to keep the mood. "Anyway, I brought you guys over a pie."

"Thanks. What kind is it?"

Berry pie."

Sounds great. Thanks, Ellie."

Ellie sighed. She didn't have a choice but to tell him. "There's more to the pie than you think."

"Let me guess. Manny made you come over because he wants to apologize, but instead of coming over and apologizing himself, He made you come over and do it for him."

"That's exactly right. How did you know?"

"I know Manny all too well. Listen, tell Manny that I'm not gonna accept his apology until he comes and apologizes to me himself."

Ellie nodded. "I'll be glad to let him know. I am so tired of doing all his dirty work. You're more than welcomed to take the pie."

"That I will accept."

"Oh, do you mind letting Shira know that we'll be having parenting class tomorrow?"

"I will, but I don't think she'll be up for it. She's still upset about what happened yesterday. Last night, I caught her eating pie in the bathroom while taking a bath and she wouldn't stop crying. It took three hours for her to finally fall asleep."

"I feel sorry for you. Listen, I'm sure Manny feels had for what he did. I'll even make him come over and apologize to you himself."

"I'm not the one he has to apologize to. It's Shira that he needs to tell."

"You know, I figured sabers would toughen out certain things, especially the females. I'm not saying that you guys don't get upset, but I figured Shira wouldn't cry about it every minute of the day."

"It's kind of easy to make Shira cry. She can have an emotional breakdown like nobody's business."

"Is she even home right now?"

"No, I told her to go on a hunt. Whether she catches anything or not, it still makes her feel better. She actually forgets about events that happened."

At that moment, Shira came back panting. "Hey, babe. Oh, hey, Ellie. What's with the pie?"

"I thought I'd bring it over," Ellie said.

"Let me guess. Manny feels bad about what he did and wants to apologize for it. I bet he's making you do it."

"Like always."

Shira took the pie from Ellie's trunk. "I'll take that. Tell Manny that of He wants to apologize, he needs to say it in front of me. I have a face. He can say it straight to my face. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go place this in the icebox and save it for dessert tonight." She walked inside the cave.

Ellie looked at Diego. "I thought you said She would forget about the whole thing."

"I didn't say she wouldn't hold a grudge against the situation," Diego said.

Ellie sighed. "Exactly how am I supposed to get Manny to apologize to Shira?"

"I don't know. You're his wife. Figure something out." Diego walked back inside the cave.

Ellie knew she had to get Manny to talk to Shira, but what could she do? It was hard to get Manny to do anything. After all, he is stubborn. There was only one thing she could do. At that moment, She found Manny with Sid as they were talking about who knows what.

The female mammoth walked over to her husband. "Manny, I need to talk to you for a minute. Do you mind, Sid?"

"Ellie, whatever you have to say to Manny, you can say it in front of me," Sid said.

"Alright. Where did you two go, anyway?"

"Ah, Sid and I were just fixing up a problem," Manny said.

"Anyway, we need to talk, Manny," Ellie said.

"About what?"

"Well, I took the pie over to the sabers, but Shira doesn't forgive you."

"What? You spent your time baking that pie and they took it without forgiving me? Why didn't you just take the pie back?"

"For one thing, that would be rude. Listen, Shira said that she'll only forgive you if you apologize to her face to face."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I have bad luck when it comes to apologizing to somebody face to face. Right after I do it, they just say some rude remark or throw something at me and then I get angry and snap at them and they just storm off. That's why I always ask you to do it."

"Manny, some mammals want to hear it come from you personally. Besides, Shira's part of the family. I don't think she would ever do that to you."

"I'm not so sure about that," Sid said, "You never know what she's capable of."

"See?" Manny said, "Even Sid agrees with me."

"Sid agrees with everybody, Manny," Ellie said, "Listen, sooner or later, you're gonna have to start doing it on your own. You're not always gonna rely on me to do it for you. I don't get why apologizing to others is such a big deal."

"It's not. I apologize, but others won't accept it."

"Probably because you're a mammoth with an extreme temper."

"I don't have an extreme temper."

"I kind of have to disagree on that," Sid said.

"Nobody asked you, Sid," Manny said to the sloth.

"There you go with that temper of yours," Ellie said.

"Ellie, I already have one problem on my mind. I don't need anything else taking up the space."

"What other problems do you have to deal with?"

"Personal problems."

"One of them better include apologizing to Shira."

"Should that matter more than trying to keep Puffer's restaurant opened?"

"Wait. What?"

"Manny, what have you done?" Sid said, "You promised that you wouldn't tell anyone else. That's it. I'm never trusting you with a secret ever again."

"Manny, what is Sid talking about?" Ellie asked.

Manny sighed. "Puffer is planning on closing down his pie restaurant."

"WHAT?!" Ellie shouted.

"Ellie, don't start freaking out."

"Don't start freaking out? You want me to take this news calmly? Manny, why would you keep something like that from me?"

"O promised Sid I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Too late for that now," Sid said, "You just broke a promise."

" Manny, if Puffer is having trouble with his restaurant, we all need to pitch in and help out," Ellie said, "We're one of his best customers. Besides, all our great memories are there."

"Ellie, this is something that I need to deal with," Manny said.

"Wait a second," Sid said, "I thought we were in this together, Manny."

"Isn't Diego gonna help you guys out?" Ellie asked.

"Ellie, Diego and I aren't getting along right now," Manny said.

"Well, I think it's best if you go over there right now and apologize to Shira."

"Ellie, I can't. You know what she's capable of."

"Manny, she's not going to kill you."

"She's a saber, Ellie. You know how sabers are when you make them furious."

"That's true right there," Sid said.

"Sid, don't you have other things you should be doing?" Manny asked, "Why don't you go snuggle with Brooke or something?"

"I would, but she's at her yoga class right now. You know, I still think you should consider doing yoga."

"I'm not doing yoga."

"I think you should do yoga," Ellie said, "That temper of yours is starting to get out of hand. Not only that, but so is your mind and your attitude. You need to do something to calm down."

"I'm not doing it, Ellie," Manny said.

"Okay, I'll make a deal with you."

"Oh, boy. Here we go."

"You take one yoga class and I'll tell Shira that I placed torture on you and say that you were too tired to apologize and I'll do it for you. Let me tell you this, though. This is the very last time I'm apologizing for you. After this one time, you're on your own. You got that?"

"Yes, Ellie."

"So we have an understanding?"

"Yes, Ellie."

"Good. Now don't stay out too late. Dinner will be ready soon. Oh, don't forget. You're washing the dishes tonight."

"Yes, Ellie. Wait. Wash the dishes?"

"Love you, Manny." Ellie kissed her husband with her trunk and walked home.

Manny sighed, rubbing his temples. "How do I always end up in these situations? I have to help save the pie restaurant and now I have to take a yoga class to get out of apologizing to Shira."

"You'll love yoga, though. It keeps you calm and helps you relax. Plus, your first visit is always free," Sid said.

"How wonderful."

Brooke's gonna be really excited to hear that you'll be taking yoga."

"It's only a one time thing, Sid. It's not like I'll be doing it all the time."

"You never know, Manny. You never know. By the way, I just remembered that you didn't mention to Puffer about the pies being on the house and you still got the bill."

"Dang it! I knew I was forgetting something. I'm serious, though. Those pies should've been on the house like Puffer said they would be."

"You know, Manny, if I do recall, I believe that Puffer says it every time we go there and we still have to pay for it."

"I think it's time I mentioned that to him."

"Yeah, it's starting to confuse me."

The two mammals continued their conversation until sunset came along. Tomorrow would be another busy day.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day, Manny and Sid made their way over to Puffer's restaurant again. This time, Puffer would be bringing his daughter along to help make the pies with him. Unfortunately, Diego didn't come along. He was still upset with Manny and the mammoth still hasn't gone over to apologize to Shira. Even Sid went over to ask if Diego could come with them, but when the saber asked his sloth friend if Manny was going along, all Sid got was a face full of door. It looks as though Manny and Sid were at it together again.

When the two got over to Puffer's Pie Treehouse, it was closed. Normally Puffer would have the doors wide open, but it was literally locked up. The two mammals were hoping they weren't too late. Puffer never changes his mind about things.

"I'll knock, just to be on the safe side," Sid said. Before his fist could even pound the door, the mammoth and sloth were dragged inside. Sid was not happy with the way he was forced in. "Hey, what gives?"

"Shush, sloth," Puffer said, placing his feathered hand over Sid's mouth, "I don't normally have my restaurant closed for this long, so we need to hurry."

"I agree," Manny said, "I have yoga class to go to this afternoon and I don't wanna be late."

"Correction," Sid said, "We have yoga class to go to this afternoon and neither of us want to be late."

"As you wish," Puffer said, "I do not believe in wasting time." He led them inside the kitchen where a representation of Puffer in a female version stood in front of a counter. She had long feathers on top of her head while some of them hid her left eye. She looked bored just standing there, but her expression was a straight face that showed no emotion. This happens to be Puffer's daughter. "Manny, Sid, I would like you to meet my daughter, Angela."

Angela walked over to Manny and Sid as she extended a feather hand to them. "Hi, there. It's nice to meet you. My name is Angela. Everybody just calls me Angie, though."

Sid was the first to shake the young girl's hand. "It's so good to meet you. I'm Sid. Sid the sloth."

Manny did the same thing. "I'm Manny."

Angie started examining Manny and Sid. "I will say that the sloth has a very putrid odor that not even I can handle being this close to him. Luckily, body odors don't bother me much. I don't have a good sense of smell. I've also noticed that the mammoth must be considered fat by other mammals. This theory isn't true. From the way I'm looking at you, the fur upon your body makes you look big. If I'm not mistaken, you have at least a total of fifty percent of fat in your body. The reason I say this is because I can tell that you have gained about forty-five pounds in the last twenty years."

"So what you're saying is I'm not fat?" Manny asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Angie looked at her father. "Can we go ahead and start the teaching progress on how to make pies, Father? I have other things to do today and I don't believe in wasting valuable time."

"Neither do I," Puffer said, "Let us begin." Puffer began getting everything set up.

Manny leaned over towards Sid. "I have a feeling that Puffer's daughter might actually enjoy doing this. After all, they both act like each other. Teaching her how to do it might not be so hard. This is gonna be a piece of cake."

"Once she learns how to do this, Puffer won't have to close down the restaurant," Sid said, "That way we can continue having wonderful memories here."

"Manny, Sid," Puffer said, "It is time to begin Angela's first lesson." The two walked over to Puffer and his daughter. "Now Angela, the first step in the pie making process is to start simple. I am going to teach you how to make The Original. Watch and learn." Puffer began to make the pie in his top speed. Once he was done, he showed it to Angie. "The pie is finished. Now I want you to do the same thing. I don't expect you to be fast at it just yet. I want you to take your time." He handed Angie the first ingredient. "Begin the baking process."

Without hesitation, Angie began making the pie. She did it at such quick speed that nobody could see what she was doing until the end. She placed the cherry on top and handed Manny and Sid each a spoon while looking at them with a straight face. "Dessert is served."

Sid and Manny looked at each other for a second and nodded. They knew this was the only way to save Puffer's restaurant. They placed the spoons in the pie and slowly took a bite. Their eyes widened. There was nothing different about the pie. It taste...exactly like Puffer's.

Manny smiled. "Angie, you have your father's touch."

"You can make pies as great as he can," Sid said, "You have a gift."

"Well, you can retire peacefully, Puffer. Your daughter will continue the traditions."

"Retire?" Angie asked, looking at her dad, "Father, I don't remember you ever discussing to me about resigning from the restaurant business."

"I know," Puffer said, "I have not spoken about it to you. I was waiting to tell you that I wasn't planning to retire until I knew you were ready to make the pies on your own. There are still more recipes I must teach you, though, but I know you are ready."

"This is very exciting, Father. Now you will not have to sell the restaurant to that greedy buyer."

Puffer gasped. "Angela, now was not the best time to say that."

Manny and Sid were shocked. "WHAT?!"

"Father, I believe you have told these two a fib," Angie said.

"Uh, Angela, why don't you go back out into the dining area and start setting up tables?" Puffer told his daughter.

"Yes, Father." Angie walked out of the kitchen.

"I can't believe this, Puffer," Manny said, "You're planning to sell your pie restaurant."

"No, I would never sell my own restaurant," Puffer said, "This buyer has been trying to close me down for years in order to turn this place into a bank."

"Well, that's just greedy," Sid said.

"He's trying to close me down because he says that I'm making too much business. I've been able to turn down all his agreements for years. Two weeks ago, he threatened me that a group of his own people were to steal everything I owned if I didn't give him what he wants. I made a deal with him. I told him that if my daughter was not able to learn how to make the pies, I would sell the restaurant to him. Since Angela can make the pies, I can't give him what he wants. Now I am going to lose everything, but I don't want to break my daughter's heart. It has been a dream of hers to own the restaurant. Oh, what am I going to do?" Puffer placed his winged hands over his face.

"Why didn't you just ask somebody for help?" Manny asked.

"Do you know how many people come to my restaurant?" Puffer asked.

"You get hundreds of them per day," Sid said.

"Exactly, sloth. There are two reasons people come here. To eat pies and to make memories. I don't want to break their hearts, either."

Puffer, we come here for those same reasons, but we also come here because we care about you," Manny said, "Your pies warm our hearts."

"And full our bellies," Sid added.

Manny sighed. "My point is this, Puffer. Don't let somebody else bring you down. That greedy bank owner can't take away this restaurant."

"Yes, he can, actually," Puffer said.

"Who is he, exactly?" Manny asked.

"The owner of Switchback Cove Bank."

"That Nathan sloth guy?"

"Oh, I hate that guy," Sid said, "He'll do anything to get what he wants. Plus, he insults his own kind."

"Why?" Manny asked.

"Because he's not lazy."

"Not all sloths are, Sid."

"In my opinion, they should be."

Manny shook his head. "Ok, now that we know who we're up against, why don't we go talk to Nathan and work out on a different kind of agreement?"

"It wouldn't hurt to try," Puffer said, "There is one problem, though. Nathan hired cougars to make sure that he gets what he wants."

"Cougars? That shouldn't be much of a problem. Shira had a few friends who are cougars. She might be able to talk some sense into them."

"There's only one problem with that idea," Sid said, "Shira hates your guts right now and she won't talk to you until you apologize or take that yoga class."

"Wait a second," Manny said, "How long have we been here?"

"About a half hour."

"I guess we better go ahead and start heading out, Puffer. We'll see you tomorrow and hopefully we can sort this whole thing out."

"And hopefully we'll have no problems."

"I do appreciate the help," Puffer said, "Thank you."

The two mammals walked out to see Angie setting up the last table. The young bird girl looked over at them. "Thank you for coming during later closing hours than usual. Have a wonderful day."

Manny and Sid made their way outside as they were heading off to yoga class. Sid sighed in relief. "I'm glad to be getting out of there. I'm now noticing that Puffer's daughter is really strange."

"You're not the only one who thinks that," Manny said.

What's worse than something strange? Nothing if you mix an even bigger mess that's been going on for so long. When will the problems ever end?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That afternoon, Brooke was standing outside a colorfully decorated cave painted with happiness and sunshine. She was accompanied by Teddy and Granny Gladys, who were also waiting for Sid and Manny to finally arrive. Brooke was hoping that they didn't change their minds at the last minute. All the waiting would have been for nothing.

At last, Manny and Sid showed up. Brooke smiled and walked over to them. "Hello there, fellow herd mammals. Welcome to the Yoga Cave."

"Okay, so what's the name of this place?" Manny asked.

"It's called the Yoga Cave."

"Well, that sounds like a ridiculous name. Maybe you could've settled for something better like Peace and Love or Clearing Minds. It's gotta have something catchy to it that'll attract people. That's just my personal opinion."

"Then you really need to loosen up that mind of yours," Granny Gladys said.

"Who invited Granny Gladys?" Manny asked.

"She comes here every week with me," Teddy said.

"That explains it."

"Come on inside, everyone," Brooke said, "It is time to escape the stress free world and open our minds to peace and harmony."

When they all walked inside the cave, Manny noticed that there was nobody else around. "Where is everybody?"

Brooke chuckled nervously. "Funny story about that, Manny. You see, we've been trying to spread the word and all, but nobody was interested. So it's just the four of us."

Manny slapped himself in the face with his trunk. "Why did I agree to do this? I'm out of here."

"Wait a second, Manny," Sid said, "Remember the situation you're in."

"I'd rather eat diet than pretend to be interested in yoga."

"Then why did you agree to do this?" Granny Gladys asked.

"So I can get out of having to apologize to Shira," Manny said.

"Like Ellie and I have told you before, Manny," Sid said, "You're gonna have to start doing it on your own."

"If I do, nobody ever accepts it."

"Probably because you're so fat and so hot-tempered all the time," Granny Gladys said.

"Can we go ahead and start this stupid class so it can be done and over with?" Manny asked, "Because right after this, I'm never doing it again."

"Oh, believe me, Manny," Brooke said, "Once you've completed the first class, you'll be begging to come back."

"I doubt it."

"Okay, everyone. Get into position." Brooke criss crossed on the floor. Everyone else did the same thing, except Manny who just plopped down on his bottom. Brooke nodded. "Good. Now let us begin our warm-ups. The first thing we always do is take a few deep breaths in and out." Everyone started doing so. Manny was only following along, pretending to do it all. Brooke opened her eyes. "Now press your paws gently together and clear your mind about all the bad things in life." Manny groaned. This was ridiculous. No wonder other mammals weren't interested in doing yoga. They couldn't do it unless they could walk on two feet. He stood up and started making his way out the door. Brooke stood up. "Manny, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Manny said, "I'm leaving."

"You can't just quit," Sid said, walking up to his mammoth friend.

"What's the point, Sid? I can't do yoga. No wonder other animals aren't interested. They don't walk on two feet like you all do."

"That doesn't matter," Brooke said, "I've known a creature that walks on maybe a hundred legs and they can still to yoga. Just in their own way."

"Yeah, well what can you do with a trunk and four legs that have to stay on the ground?" Manny asked.

"Okay, hear me out. Just stay for fifteen minutes. Find a simple corner in the room and just clear your mind. That's all I want you to do. No noises and no talking. Just complete silence and total peace. Do you think you can do that?"

Manny gave it some thought and sighed. "Alright, I'll give it a go."

"Wonderful," Brooke said, "There's a nice little corner over there. Enjoy your moment of loneliness. Sometimes it is a good thing."

Manny went over to the corner and sat down. He closed his eyes, trying to place himself in a state of peace. For the first few minutes it wasn't working, but he didn't open his eyes and he didn't feel as though anyone was bothering him. People were far away from him, not saying a word around his little space. Silence was upon him. He began to see things. It started out with what happened in the past. How others would never forgive him and always making Ellie apologize to them for him. It also goes to where Manny said things that he regrets. One thing was for certain, though. The main issue was pie. There was only one cure for it all and it was pie. Puffer's pie, to be exact. It was the only thing that brought the herd together. The one thing that made them all happy. The one thing that would cure all the madness in the world. Then it all disappeared like thin air. It was gone. Manny could hear a voice, but it wasn't coming from his head.

It was coming from Sid. "Manny. Manny, open your eyes."

Manny opened his eyes and shook his head. "What's going on? What happened?"

"You were in a state of peace, my mammoth friend," Brooke said.

"How long have I been sitting here?"

"About two hours," Sid said.

"Two hours?" Manny said, "I feel like I've only been here for two minutes."

"It happens all the time, Manny," Brooke said, "So how did it go while you were away in the land of peace and loneliness?"

"To be honest with you, I factually enjoyed it. I feel like I was born again. Nobody came up and bothered me or anything. I felt like I was home. No troubles. No worries."

"See, Manny," Sid said, "I told you that you would love yoga."

"Sid, that wasn't yoga," Manny said, "It was meditation." He looked at Brooke. "By the way, can I come back next week?"

"Of course," Brooke said, "Everyone is welcomed here at the Yoga Cave."

"Still not sure about the name, but keep working on it." Manny started walking out of the cave.

"Where are you going, Manny?" Sid asked.

"I'm going home now," Manny said, "Don't wanna worry Ellie too much." He left the cave with a smile on his face. They say not to judge a book by its cover or all that stuff. Never hate something until you actually do it.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at the saber's cave, Ellie and Shira were having a normal girl chat. The two were laughing at something that happened earlier that day. They couldn't get it off their minds.

"I can't believe that Sarah would actually do that to her own boyfriend out in public," Shira said, laughing her head off.

"I know," Ellie said, laughing as well, "She should know better than to hit him where boys feel more pain at than anywhere else, but then we wouldn't be laughing about it now."

"Oh, I need a good laugh there." Shira walled over to the icebox. "You want me to get you some pie, Ellie? I've got plenty to go around. Plus, I shouldn't have ordered so many of them."

"I'd love to Shira, but I need to start heading home and getting dinner ready. Manny should be getting home soon."

"Where's he been all day?"

"Oh, just here and there. By the way, he went to a yoga class."

"Yoga class? Manny wouldn't be the type of guy to take yoga unless somebody made him."

Ellie sighed. "I made him do it."

"How come?"

"Well, I...kind of promised him something. You see, if-"

"Don't tell me. I know what you're gonna say. You told Manny that if he took one yoga class, then you would come over and apologize to me so he won't have to do it himself. Am I correct?"

"Yes, but I told him that this is the last time I would do it for him."

"No, it's not."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ellie, it's not gonna stop. You have to make him do it. Here's the thing. Letting him do yoga to get out of having to apologize to me is just the start. If something else like that happens like the other day at the restaurant, he'll be begging you to let him do something to get out of having to apologize to others for his wrongdoings. You can't let this get out of hand, Ellie. You need to do something about it. Be a woman. Woman up and go tell that stubborn hard-headed husband of yours to go out and do his own dirty work."

When that became clear, Ellie stood up. "You're right. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna go out there and tell him to come right over and apologize to you. I'm not gonna let this turn out into a disaster."

"Good, because I'm not gonna forgive him unless he comes up to my face and tells me that he's truly sorry. To make sure, I'm gonna make him do something stupid.

"Oh, that's the one reason why Manny makes me apologize for him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, every time he tries to apologize to anyone, they either insult him or he ends up getting hurt physically even though it doesn't cause any pain."

"Probably because he's such a hot-tempered mammoth."

"I agree with you, but don't do anything that'll make him lose his temper. That'll cause the both of you to end up hating each other forever."

"We pretty much already hate each other at this point."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Well, while you continue hating him, I'm gonna go talk to him. I'll see you later, Shira." Ellie walked out of the saber's cave and was surprised to see Manny walking down the trail. She went over to greet him. "Hey, Manny."

"Hello, my beautiful wife," Manny said, pulling his wife in for a kiss. Once their lips parted, Manny held Ellie's trunk. "How has your day been, my dear?"

"It's been good," Ellie said, "Goodness, you haven't been this way in years. What has gotten into you?"

"Let's just say a little yoga straighten me out. Well, it wasn't technically yoga. I was just sitting in a corner meditating for the last two hours, but it was worth it."

"I can't believe it. You actually enjoyed yourself, didn't you?"

"I certainly did. I feel like a new mammoth."

"You should do it more often. I like you this way. You seem a lot more calmer." Something else suddenly came up in Ellie's mind. "So how's it going with Puffer?"

"Well, Sid and I found out that somebody is trying to buy his restaurant."

"Buy how restaurant? Is he trying to sell it?"

"No, the guy wants to buy it to turn it into a bank."

"A bank?"

"Yep."

"So what is he gonna do?"

"Sid and I are gonna help Puffer by confronting the guy and see if we can't come to an agreement."

"Aren't you gonna take Diego with you?"

"Has Shira accepted my apology?"

Ellie sighed. "No, she didn't."

"What? After I went and took that yoga class, she still doesn't let you apologize for me?"

"Manny, this isn't gonna fly. I'm not gonna let you go off and do things so you can get out of having to apologize to somebody and making me do it. Guess what? I'm tired of it. If you don't wanna apologize to Shira, that's fine. You don't have to, but I'm sure not gonna do it for you. Not only is Shira trying to teach you a lesson, but so am I. From now on, you're on your own when it comes to apologies." Ellie storms off, making her way back to the cave.

Manny stood there, stunned. He had no idea what happened. One minute you try to be romantic and the next, it all tumbles down. Down, down, down. You hate when the subject changes.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next morning, Sid makes his way down the trail on his way over to Manny and Ellie's cave. Being the respectful sloth he is, he knocked on the wooden door. He was surprised to see Ellie answer. She smiled at her sloth friend. "Hi, Sid. Are you here to get Manny?"

"I am," Sid said, "How did you know?"

"Well, for one thing, you are his friend. Another thing is I know the two of you are going off to help Puffer today."

"Isn't that the truth?"

"Sid, I want you to convince Manny to ask Diego to come with you guys. This concerns him as much as it does with the two of you."

"Has Shira accepted Manny's apology?"

"Unfortunately not."

"She hasn't yet, but she will," Manny said, walking up to his wife and friend.

"What do you mean she will?" Ellie asked.

"Ellie, I've been thinking about what you said to me yesterday. You're right. I can't just keep letting you do it for me. I have to start doing it on my own. No matter what happens or how much I hate it. It's time to straighten out this issue by doing it the hard way."

"Oh, Manny. I knew you would come to your senses sooner or later." Ellie hugged Manny as the two shared a moment of such a loving embrace.

"What wonderful long lasting love," Sid said, "It reminds me of Brooke and I when we're going to bed and we decide to-"

"Uh, Sid, nobody wants to know about your personal love life," Manny said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin the mood."

Manny sighed. "Come on, Sid, let's go."

"Good luck, Manny," Ellie said, "Once everything gets situated, we'll celebrate with some of Puffer's pie."

"Come on, Manny," Sid said, "You have an apology to give."

The two mammals made their way over to the saber's cave. Manny took a deep breath and knocked on the wooden door. Opening it was Diego, who wasn't happy to see the bull mammoth. He shook his head. "What are you doing here, Manny?"

"Hey, Diego," Manny said, "It's been a while. Say, do you mind if I could talk to Shira for a minute?"

"I knew it. You can't stand anybody in the herd hating you for the rest of their lives. I knew you would come over eventually."

"Is Shira here or not?"

"Yeah, she's here." Diego turned his head inside the cave. "Babe, there's someone here at the door for you."

Shira walked up a moment later, standing next to her husband. She looked to see Manny smiling at her. "Let me guess. You're here to apologize to me."

"How can you tell?" Manny asked.

"Well, you wouldn't have any other reason to come over here. And stop smiling like that. You look like a fat goofball."

Manny frowned and sighed. "Shira, I'm sorry. What happened at guy's night out and what I said was a stupid mistake. We were having fun and chilling out that I couldn't think straight. I know I keep denying it, but what Crash and Eddie said were true. I didn't mean to make fun of your hips. Truth is, you make fun of me for being fat."

Shira sighed. I know I do, but I do that because I know you can't stand me. You think I'm too sassy and just say things because I want to. To be honest, I can't stand you, either. We both might not get along, but that doesn't mean we can't be nice to each other while doing so."

"So do you accept my apology?"

Shira nodded. "Yeah, I don't see why I shouldn't. Even though I do, there's still a catch."

"Throw it at me."

"I actually don't know what I'm gonna do, but once I do, I'll let you know."

"Well, thank you for being the first person to actually accept my apology without being rude about it. No one's done that before."

"Well, thanks for not losing your temper. Now if you'll excuse me, I have dishes to finish washing." Shira walked back inside.

"Congratulations, buddy," Diego said, "You have officially made my wife happy."

"Yeah, but we still have a problem," Manny said.

"What's going on?"

"It turns out that Puffer isn't planning on retiring," Sid said, "Somebody's forcing him to sell the restaurant so they can turn it into a bank."

"I hate banks," Diego growled, "Idiots like them are nothing but money grubbers."

"Well, let's stop wasting time and save Puffer's restaurant," Manny said.

"Save the pies!" Sid exclaimed.

"Save the memories!" Diego exclaimed.

The three started making their way to Puffer's restaurant. When they got there, Puffer once again had the closed sign up on the door. Sid was just about to knock when something dragged them inside. They looked to see that it was Puffer, but for the first time in their entire lives, he had a face full of fear.

"Oh, thank goodness it's only you guys," Puffer said, "I thought it was them."

"What's going on, Puffer?" Manny asked.

"They're coming."

"The mammals that are trying to turn this place into a bank is on his way right now?" Sid asked.

"Yes, sloth," Puffer said, "I had no choice but to close the restaurant today. People are starting to become suspicious of me. I need your help."

"We'll do whatever it takes to save this place, Puffer," Diego said.

"Thank you." Puffer looked at the door and heard footsteps walking towards it. He gasped. "They are here."

One of the mammals started knocking on the door. "Open up, Puffer. We know you're in there."

"Should we kick down the door, boss?" somebody else asked.

"Oh, I love kicking doors down," another creature said, "I love doing anything that causes destruction."

"Puffer, let us in!" the guy knocking shouted. This time, he started kicking the door. He sighed. "Break off the door." Two paws hit through the door, tearing it off the building. The paws revealed themselves to be two large cougars who were wearing glass shades in front of their eyes. Standing in the middle was a red sloth who was sort of muscular and was a few inches taller than Sid. Like the cougars, he also wore a pair of glass shades. His red hair looked almost a lot like Elvis Presley hair. He walked over to Puffer as he took off his shades and stared at the bird with cold ice blue eyes. "Glad to see me again, Puffer?"

"You know I am never thrilled to see you, Nathan," Puffer said sternly, a look of anger on his face.

The sloth known as Nathan looked over at the three mammals. "I have to say that I'm ashamed of you, Puffer. You finally had to call in for back-up since you knew that you alone can't keep this place open."

"They are not back-up. They are loyal customers who do not want a bank replacing the one thing I have worked so hard to create."

"Then these suckers are wasting their time. What kind of fool wants to eat your disgusting pies, anyway?"

"A fool who can't resist the greatest flavor it has brought to our taste buds," Sid said.

"Are you kidding?" Nathan said, "Those pies are revolting. I came here not too long after this place opened up. At that time, I had just got into the banking business. I will admit that I was given satisfactory respect as a customer. Once I tasted that pie, though, it was the worst thing I had ever tasted. It put a bad taste in my mouth. Worst thing I had ever eaten. I even told Puffer that, but since I refused to enjoy the one creation he has ever made, he banned me from the restaurant. I've been trying to get back at him ever since. I wanna make sure his career goes down the drain so I can finally have my revenge."

"We're gonna make sure that doesn't happen," Manny said.

Nathan chuckled. "How are you gonna do that?"

"By coming to an agreement. An agreement that doesn't involve violence or destruction. Just a peaceful conversation."

"Well, mammoth, you don't know me as well as other mammals do. I don't do things in a peaceful way. I like doing it the fun way. By making my men here destroy everything until I get what I want. Before I do that, though, I wanna know whether or not that daughter of yours had agreed to continue on the stupid pie tradition."

"I bet she hates making the pies," one of the cougars said.

"Yeah, she might think it's boring," the other cougar said.

"That is where you are wrong," Puffer said, "She had a gift to make as great of pies as I do. I will not give away her dreams."

"That's right, Puffer!" Diego exclaimed, "Tell him off!"

"Really?" Nathan asked, "Is that what she really wants to do? I bet you're making this up. Telling me lies so that you don't have to sell this place. I'm gonna take it and get what I want whether you want me to or not."

"Don't take this place away from me," Puffer begged, "This career is all I have to support my daughter. I've come too far to quit on what I have worked so hard for."

"Let's just come to an agreement on this," Manny said.

"Come on, Nathan," Sid said, "None of this is worth a bank."

"Oh, yes, it is," Nathan said, snapping his claws, "Start taking this place down, boys."

"Destruction time!" the cougar shouted as they started destroying everything inside the dining area of the restaurant.

They started throwing tables and chairs all over the place, creating holes in the walls and damaging decorations. They even tore the doors off. Mammals and birds started running up to the entrance of the pie restaurant. They were shocked to see somebody destroying their favorite place in all of Switchback Cove.

Dust and debris covered the entire place. Once it all cleared up, everyone looked to see the entire place destroyed. All the tables and chairs were broken and splintered to pieces, the decorations were torn apart, the fire stove was in pieces, but most of all, the one thing that was completely bent up and destroyed, was Puffer's prized possession. The first pie pan he ever used was gone. He felt as though everything would be gone soon if he didn't do something about it. But what could he do? He was no match for Nathan and his cougar cronies. It was time to face the facts. He was defeated. After years of trying to stop Nathan from taking away the one dream he had, there was nothing more he could do.

Nathan chuckled. "So now that you have nothing left, I guess it's time to start calling this place mine. You have no say so in the matter."

Without warning, Manny wrapped his trunk around Nathan, upbringing the sloth up to his face. "Listen here, buddy. You have no rights to be forcing Puffer to give you anything. He's been at this for years and he's not giving up, no matter how much you try to make him. If you don't like his pies, than that's your problem. He can kick anybody he wants out of his restaurant, especially mammals like you. If you hate it, leave it alone. That's my motto. So if I were you, I would be running away by now and not coming back."

"You tell him, Manny!" Sid exclaimed.

"Nobody messes with Puffer and gets away with it," Diego said.

Everyone from outside started cheering. Puffer looked up and smiled. Nobody has ever done something like this for him. He was basically known as the type of animal who never needed help, but today was different. He feels as though his enemy has finally been defeated.

Nathan snarled and removed himself from Manny's trunk. "Fine. Keep your stupid pie restaurant. I'm done with you, Puffer. Don't think I won't come back for you three, though. Mark my words. Come on, boys." He and his cougar minions left, walking rudely pass everyone.

Puffed walked over to Manny, Sid and Diego. "Thank you. Nobody has ever done such a kind action for me before. Thanks to you three, my restaurant is still in business." He looked all around the place. "It will take weeks to repair this place. Looks like I'll have to close temporarily until this place is fixed."

"I think I have an idea of how you can keep this place opened and fix up your restaurant," Sid said.

"There's no way we can do that, Sid," Diego said.

"Actually, I know exactly where Sid's going with this," Manny said.

Let's hope Sid's idea doesn't cause a catastrophe.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Well, it looks like the idea was a complete success. While Puffer's pie restaurant was going through repairs, he was able to move his business over to the party lot. Now he could serve twice as much customers than he could before. Plus, he could serve bigger parties, including the herd, who was pretty much Puffer's guest of honors since the three leading males saved his business. Even the three dino birds joined in the party. Plus, Buck brought over his girlfriend, Tara. Crash and Eddie were still disgusted by the fact that their idol was actually dating somebody.

Everybody was still trying to figure out what happened with Puffer and his business.

"So Puffer didn't tell you guys the truth because he was scared of what might happen?" Brooke asked.

"That's right," Sid said, "Luckily, the three of us came along and saved the pies."

"Good, because if something happens to this place, I don't know where I would turn my depression over to," Shira said.

"Well, you have me," Diego said.

"I know, but chocolate is a lady's best friend. Even if it's in a pie."

"Well, at least this is a memory none of us will ever forget," Ellie said.

Puffer walked over to the table. "How is everyone tonight?"

"Puffer, you know the answer to that question," Manny said.

"To thank you all for saving my restaurant and my daughter's future, I would like to give you all free pies on the house."

"These are free, right?"

"I will make sure that nobody gives you the bill, Manny. These pies are a gift from me and Angela."

Angela walked up to the herd and for the first time, she gave them a smile. "I want to thank you guys for saving my future. It really means a lot to me. Please accept these delicious pies. You earned them." She handed them the pies. "Dessert is served. Enjoy." She started walking over to a different table with her father.

"Puffer's daughter still creeps me out," Sid said.

"You're still right about that, Sid," Manny told his sloth friend.

"Be nice, boys," Brooke said.

"Better get used to seeing her," Ellie said, "She's gonna be around all the time."

"Hey, Manny," Shira said.

"Yes, Shira," Manny said.

"It's time for your cue. Get up on the stage."

"Shira, please don't make me do this."

"You want me to accept your apology one hundred percent? If you do, get your butt up there on that stage."

Manny sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He got up and started making his way over towards the stage.

"Just to be clear, I do forgive him," Shira told everyone, "I just want him to do something stupid."

"Shira, I know you have a sassy side, but I hope you don't make him act too much like an idiot," Ellie said.

"He already looks like one," Granny Gladys said, "What's the big deal in acting like one?"

"More pie, Gladys?" Teddy asked.

"Sure, why not?" Granny Gladys started eating more pie.

"I just told him to sing a stupid song," Shira said, "Nothing more, nothing less."

"I think you're gonna get more than a stupid song," Ellie said.

"What do you mean by that?"

Manny was up on stage as he spoke into the microphone. "Good evening, everybody. I suppose a lot of you know who I am. I'm up here tonight to sing a song that I hope will help you guys accept my apology. I wrote this song for my wife to tell her that I'm sorry for making her apologize for me. As of now, I am never gonna let that happen again. To prove it, allow me to do this." The band started playing in a jazz-like sort of way as Manny began singing.

 _Oh, baby, listen to me_

 _As I say I'm sorry_

 _I hope that you will_

 _Accept my apology_

 _I know that I never_

 _Did it on my own_

 _I've realized my mistakes_

 _'Cause I'm a man, fully grown_

 _Come on, baby, don't get upset_

 _I promise you_

 _I'm gonna do it on my own_

 _That's exactly what I'm gonna do_

 _I've learned my lesson_

 _So I hope that you all_

 _Hear the words I dare to speak_

 _As I answer your call_

 _I'm sorry, I'm sorry_

 _Don't walk away, don't flee_

 _All I really wanna know is_

 _Do you forgive me?_

The band finishes up the song with a good ending of everyone chanting, "Yes!" and they all began cheering. Manny bowed as he walked off the stage and sat back down with the herd.

The male mammoth looked at Shira. "Now do you forgive me?"

Shira sighed. "Yes, I forgive you. Just for the record, when you plan to apologize to me, don't song that song."

"I won't."

"Where did you learn to sing like that, Manny?" Sid asked.

"I joined the mammoth choir a few years back," Manny said.

"There's your answer," Diego said.

"Well, what a night this has turned out to be," Tara said, "I'm going to enjoy being a part of the herd."

"Trust me, dear," Buck said, "You're gonna love these guys."

"You know, Tara, there's a motto that my brother and I have," Crash said.

"What's that?" Tara asked.

"Pals and never gals," Eddie said, "Don't even think about hooking us up with any possum girls that you may know."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Tara said, "I have no desire in playing matchmaker."

"Good," the possum brothers said, fist pumping each other.

Julian started whispering in Peaches' ear. Peaches giggled. She looked at her father. "Hey, Dad. I think I see a firefly on your back."

"Where?" Manny asked, looking behind him. What he didn't notice was that Peaches had thrown a pie toward him, but he knee it was coming and ducked down, only for Ellie to get hit.

"Oh, it's on now," Ellie said, grabbing a pie and throwing it at Peaches, "Take this!" The pie flew towards Peaches, but it ended up on Julian instead. Peaches started laughing, but Julian smacked a pie on her face.

Sid laughed, finding the whole thing funny. Brooke created a sly grin on her face as she smacked Sid with a pie. He did the same thing with Brooke.

Soon the whole place was an all-out pie throwing fiasco. Even Puffer and his daughter joined in the fun. That's what is truly known to be a pie in the face at the end.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **ANOTHER GLORIOUS EPISODE WRITTEN BY YOURS TRULY. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR IT, SO HERE IT IS.**

 **WELL, THAT'S IT UNTIL THE NEXT EPISODE. HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	5. I'm in The Choir

S1 E5

I'M IN THE CHOIR

 **SUMMARY:**

 **JULIAN HAS BEEN GIVEN A PLACE IN THE MAMMOTH CHOIR. AT FIRST, MANNY IS HAPPY FOR JULIAN, BUT WHEN THE CHOIR DIRECTOR GIVES AL OF MANNY'S SOLO PARTS TO JULIAN, HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT JULIAN DOESN'T SING AT ALL.**

It was an early break of dawn in the Ice Age. At this hour, most mammals, birds and reptiles would still be snoozing. That involves the sabers, who were slumbering peacefully next to each other. Their heads were pressed together as they were sleeping like rocks. Before they could enjoy anymore peace, a loud, but excellent singing voice shook them awake. Diego walked over to the cave window and saw that it was Manny, who was singing in the shower like most mornings. The male saber didn't mind if his neighbor sang a little too loud sometimes, but it's gotten to the point where he hears it everyday.

Diego groaned. "I really feel like stuffing a bunch of rocks down Manny's big fat throat."

"You're not the only one that has those thoughts," Shira said, yawning.

"Why does he have to wake up so early in the morning? Nobody else is up at the crack of dawn unless you're nocturnal."

"Ellie said the mammoth choir is getting ready for one of their concerts. Oh, by the way, I told Ellie that we would be going to Manny's rehearsal today."

"I don't wanna go to his rehearsal."

"Diego, you're not getting out of it. No matter how much you beg, you're still going."

"Why do I always have to do what you tell me to do?"

"Because I'm your wife and if you don't, I'll rip your head off.

"Point taken." Diego could still hear Manny singing. He sighed. "Why can't he just wait to sing until that choir class of his?"

"He's practicing for his solo parts."

"Wait. He's singing solo parts?"

"Yeah, I don't see a problem with it. He's got a better voice than most mammoths. You have a better voice than most saber's, though."

"Excuse me. As I have told you before, I am a remorseless assassin. I don't sing."

"Yes, you do. I hear you singing in the shower all the time."

"When?"

"Pretty much everyday." At that point, Shira had a flashback of Diego singing in the shower one day last week.

 **FLASHBACK:**

 _Shira had just finished making up the bed and was walking out of the room when she head a beautiful sound coming from the bathroom. She walked closer to hear her husband singing a wonderful song._

 _Baby, I can't keep my mind off you_

 _You're so beautiful, it's true_

 _Without you, I don't know what I would do_

 _It would make my heart split in two._

 _You're my everything in this world_

 _You're my dashing silver gray girl_

 _Thanks to you, I've completed my life_

 _Now that you are my wife._

 _Throughout the whole time Diego was singing, Shira was dancing and tapping her paws to the rhythm. She stopped when Diego walked out of the bathroom. He looked at her and said, "The bathroom's all yours."_

" _Thanks, honey," Shira said, rushing into the bathroom._

 **END OF FLASHBACK**

Diego knew Shira was having a flashback. He snapped his claws. "Shira. Earth to Shira. Come back to me, babe."

Shira gasped. "What happened? Did I zone out again?"

"Unfortunately, you did."

Shira sighed. "Sorry, honey. I guess flashbacks get the best of me."

Manny was still heard singing from his cave. Diego's grumpiness led to anger. "Shira, I'm starting to get annoyed."

"Oh, shut up, Diego. He'll stop once Ellie puts food on the table for him. Since we're up, though, why don't I go ahead and make us some breakfast?"

"What do we got?"

"I've got some bird tails I've been wanting to fix up for a while now. To ahead and get a shower. It'll take a few minutes."

"You're the best, honey." Diego walked inside the bathroom, pulling the fur curtain so he wouldn't be bothered. Once he turned the water on, there was a state of peace. He didn't even head Manny singing anymore. He shouldn't have thought that, though. Manny began singing once again, this time a different song. Diego saw that the bull mammoth was still in the shower. He couldn't take it anymore. Finding a rock on the floor, Diego threw it out the window. "That'll shut you up." He heard a clonk sound, proving that the rock hit Manny in the head.

"Ow!" Manny yelped in pain. He stick his head out his bathroom window. "Who threw this?"

"Sorry, Manny," Diego called to his mammoth friend, "Forgive me for that. I'm taking a bath and the rock slipped out of my paws. I'm sure it won't happen again." He stuck his head back inside, hoping that throwing the rock worked. Manny was too stubborn to stop what he had started and kept on singing.

Diego knew it was gonna be a long day.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The Sun had finally risen. Morning had begun and animals were going about, starting off their day right. Coming out of his cave singing a tune was Manny. Ellie was following behind him. Like Diego, Ellie didn't mind her husband singing from time to time, but after a while, it does start to get annoying. She knew it needed to stop before Manny's voice box came out.

She tapped on her husband's shoulder. "Manny, I know you're excited about rehearsal today, but give your voice a rest. You're gonna go hoarse if you constantly keep singing."

"Ellie, I don't wanna make a fool of myself in front of everybody," Manny said, "Besides, Keith told me the best way to know the song is to sing it loud and proud."

"That explains the rock Diego threw at you this morning."

Manny scoffed. "He's just jealous of my outstanding voice."

"I guess that's the reason you never shut up, huh?" Diego asked as he walked up to the mammoths with Shira.

"Hey, guys," Manny said to the sabers, "Hey, thanks for accepting our invitation to come to my rehearsal. Keith said he needed to start practicing more in front of an audience."

"So is the whole herd coming or what?"

"I sure hope so."

At that moment, Sid and Brooke, along with Granny Gladys and Teddy, came rolling up inside their log car. Sid waved to them. "Hey, guys."

"I hope we're not too late," Brooke said as they all started exiting the log car.

"We seriously need to have one of those," Shira said, "We can get to places a lot faster."

"You gotta be kidding me," Diego said, "The last time we drive a log car, we ended up crashing it."

"That's because you had no experience and we were in a rush."

"All because you didn't wanna get into any trouble," Manny said.

"Don't start with me, Manny," Shira said.

"Okay, now that we're all here together, it's time to give the latest update for parenting classes today," Ellie said.

"Ellie, can't we just postpone classes until the concert's over with?" Manny asked his wife.

"I agree with him," Diego said. This caused Shira to smack him over the head. "Ow!"

"It doesn't matter what kind of extracurricular activities you have, Manny," Ellie said, "Classes will still be in session."

"Good," Sid said, "I'm free after the rehearsal today."

"Why? So you can fall asleep all day?" Granny Gladys asked.

"Don't be silly, Granny. I knew I had class today."

"Is there a reason why Granny is still acting the way she usually did when she was an old bag?" Diego asked.

"Not a clue, Diego," Manny said, "Not a clue."

"So what's today's topic going to be about, Ellie?" Brooke asked, changing the subject.

"Pregnancy," Ellie said.

Shira's eyes widened. "Did I hear what I think you just said?"

"That's right, girls. Today's topic is all about pregnancy."

"What about us, Manny?" Sid asked.

"If it's something that involves stupidity, I don't wanna know about it," Diego said.

"Today's topic is learning how to deal with pregnancy,' Manny told them.

"Oh, no."

"I'm so gonna fail this test," Sid said, slapping himself in the forehead.

"Guys, this is the first step in becoming father's," Manny said, "You need to know how to handle your pregnant wife. I should know. I was there the whole time with Ellie."

"No, you weren't," Ellie said.

"Yes, I was. Name one time I wasn't there."

"When I was delivering Peaches."

"I came at the moment when I first heard her crying."

"You weren't there for most of it."

"Ellie, don't embarrass me."

"So how are we gonna learn what happens at the end?" Sid asked.

"There probably won't be a way," Diego said.

"Ellie, I don't feel comfortable about today's class," Shira said, "Can I just skip it or something?"

"Shira, do you wanna learn how to be a good parent or not?" Ellie asked.

"I do. I just feel uncomfortable talking about...pregnancy."

"Sweetie, this is the first step in a child's life. Children need to be nurtured before their born."

"I'll come along since I may need a refresher," Brooke said, "Back in my day, I used to be a midwife."

"A what?" Shira asked.

"A midwife. It's a female doctor that helps deliver babies."

"That's actually a part of today's class," Ellie said.

"I have a feeling that my class won't be learning anything today," Diego said.

"You know, Granny and Teddy, I've been wondering," Sid said, "How come you don't join these classes?"

"Do we look like a married couple, Sidney?" Granny Gladys asked.

"That makes a lot of sense."

"Ellie!" voices shouted from up in the trees. Everyone looked up to see Crash and Eddie swinging by their tails on a branch. "We can't go to the rehearsal today!"

"And why not?" Ellie shouted up at her brothers.

"We forgot that we were supposed to go with Buck to the Dinosaur World today," Crash said.

"Yeah," Eddie said, "We're gonna be gone for a pretty long while."

"Days, probably. We won't be able to make it back in time for the concert."

"If I recall correctly, Buck and Tara are meeting us over at the Switchback Theatre with the dino birds," Ellie said, "If I were you, I would get my naked tails down here right now."

"You can't tell is what to do!" Crash shouted.

"We have our own life!" Eddie yelled.

"Pals and never gals!"

"You know, one of these days, you're gonna have to settle down with some girls!" Sid shouted.

"That's not gonna make them come down, Sid," Diego said.

"Hey, does anybody know where Peaches and Julian are?" Manny asked.

"Over here, Dad," Peaches said as she and Julian walked over to them.

"Hey, Bro Dad," Julian said, "Hey, Mama Ellie."

"Mama Ellie?" Manny asked.

"He doesn't normally call me that when you're around," Ellie said.

"Manny, I can't wait to hear you song today," Julian said, "You're gonna be rockin' out! I can already see it now. You are up on the stage, singing to your heart's contempt. You know, I can actually carry a good tune of my own."

"No way!" Crash and Eddie shouted. The two of them jumped out of the tree they were in and landed flat on their faces once they hit the ground.

Crash looked up at Julian. "There is no way you can sing."

"Yeah," Eddie said, "And if you could, we wouldn't compliment you."

"I can sing," Julian said, "Wanna hear it?"

"Sorry, but we don't have time," Manny said, "Rehearsals start in thirty minutes." He started walking down the trail.

Ellie grabbed her brothers. "Come on, you two."

"Do we have to go?" Eddie whined.

"Yes, you don't have a choice."

The herd started making their way to the theatre. Manny tried practicing his singing along the way, but Diego told him to shut up. Some people do have their good and bad days. Singing about it only brings the good in most people.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Once the herd made their way over to the Switchback Theatre, they saw the dino birds standing on top of the welcoming sign. They were shocked to see Tara and Buck standing next to the sign's pole, making out. Well, shocked as they were not expecting to see such a sight.

The two weasels didn't even notice the herd had arrived and jumped when they saw them. Buck chuckled. "Sorry about that, mammals. We were just having a personal romance moment before you arrived."

Manny sighed. "Buck, I know that you've finally found love, and I'm happy that you did, but can you please take it to a more personal spot? I'm sure you have a home to spend time at with Tara."

"Actually, it was my idea to make out here," Tara said, "Sorry about that."

Manny looked up at the three dino birds. "You guys weren't disgusted by this at all?"

"Disgusted about what?" Roger asked.

"I was watching them the whole time, Manny," Gavin said, "It's not something I haven't seen or done before."

"You've made out with someone before, Pop?" Gertie asked.

"Yeah. With your mom."

"Eeewww!"

"I did not need to know that," Roger said.

Crash and Eddie walked over to Buck and Tara. Crash pointed a finger at them. "Just to let you know. If you ever have kids, we will not be babysitting them."

"Yeah, because if we do, we'll make sure they pull all kinds of pranks on you," Eddie said.

"Point taken," Tara said, "I don't trust you two, anyway."

"Good," the possum twins said, walking away.

Tara placed a paw on her hip. "What do those two have against me, anyway?"

"For some reason, they don't like girls except for their sister," Buck said, "They say girls ruin all the fun. In my personal opinion, I'd say girls create more fun."

"How so?"

"They have outstanding curiosity."

"I'm not curious about everything I see. Well, maybe a little bit."

"Come on, everyone," Manny said, "Rehearsals start in five minutes."

The herd walked inside the theatre. Mammoths from all around Switchback Cove were there. Even Ethan was there. Peaches still had a bad taste in her mouth when it came to Ethan. They only dated for six months after they got to Switchback Cove. Ever since he dumped her to be with Megan, she found out that he was secretly dating Megan the whole time, even when he was with other girls. Once she found that out, Peaches and her other friends explained to Megan what Ethan was really doing and shut him out of her life immediately.

Peaches did her best to keep her distance from Ethan, but Julian called out to him. "Yo, Ethan! My main buddy! What's up!" She literally forgot that Julian and Ethan were friends.

Ethan walked over to them. "Julian! How's it going? It's been ages, man!" The two of them fist pumped each other, chuckling and having a good time. Ethan noticed Peaches standing right behind her husband. "Peaches! Awesome to see you, too! You're still as beautiful as I remember you." He gave Peaches a hug. "You better keep her for as long as you can, Julian. She's a keeper."

"How long have you been in the choir?"

"For about a year now. I've been chilling with singing for a while now."

"Hey, I heard from Barry that you're trying to hook back up with Megan."

"Are you sure about that, Julian?" Peaches asked, "You know how Barry is with spreading rumors."

"Actually, Megan and I are back together," Ethan said.

"For how long?"

"About a few weeks now. We talked it out and decided to start over."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me this. I am so going to talk to her after this is over with."

"Man, I wish I could be part of the mammoth choir," Julian said, "We'd get to hang out all the time."

"That is if Keith gives us five minutes of privacy," Ethan said.

"All mammoth choir members to the stage!" the choir director named Keith called out. He was a male mammoth who was a bit shorter than other mammoths, especially females. He had a light mahogany colored fur coat and a patch of dark brick red hair on his head. He may have been short for his size, but he was pretty chunky as his giant feet shook the place. "Come on, everyone! I don't have all day! Get to the stage!" He had a deep voice that could never be mistaken for anybody else's. His was different by all means. That proves he wasn't meant to be a singer. He looked over at Ethan. "Chit chatting time's over, boy. Up on the stage!"

"Yes, sir," Ethan said, running to the stage.

Keith turned around and smiled at Peaches. "Hello there, ma'am. I'm terribly sorry to say that this choir is for male mammoths only. I'm sure that you have a very lovely voice, though."

"Oh, Keith," Peaches said, "Maybe you could make an exception for this sweet girl? After all, my daddy's in the mammoth choir."

"I know, sweetie. That's why I'm putting you in your father's place."

"What?!" Julian cried, freaking out, "No! Don't replace Manny!"

Keith started laughing. "Calm your little furry tail there, boy. I was just joking around. Peaches and I do this all the time. Don't we, sweetheart?"

"We sure do," Peaches said, "I guess this isn't the greatest way to meet my husband, but I would like you to meet Julian."

"Good to meet you, sonny boy," Keith said, "Good to hear that Peaches has married a swell mammoth. Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but I've got a job to do. Why don't y'all go ahead and take a seat. I'm gonna get rehearsal started." Keith turned around with an angry expression on his face. "Ethan, get in your right position on the stage, boy! What did I tell you about that?"

Julian and Peaches took a seat in the front row. The young male mammoth looked at his wife. "Well, he seems friendly."

"As long as he's not working as a choir director, he's the nicest mammoth you'll meet."

"I bet he and your dad get along pretty well."

Peaches chuckled. "They do from time to time."

"Shh," Ellie said, "They're about to start."

Keith walked up to the podium. "Quiet down up on stage. Let's get rehearsal started." He cleared his throat as he turned towards the audience. "Good morning, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an exclusive rehearsal of the Switchback Cove Male Mammoth Choir. We thank each and everyone for coming out today. Before we begin, let me make a note to you all. I do tend to let my temper get the best of me during these practices in case these gentlemen here decide to act like bozos and clowns. I do apologize to any words that utter from my lips. Once again, I thank you all for taking the time to come here today and I hope you all enjoy the rehearsal." He turned to face the choir and tapped his baton upon the podium. "Alright, men. Sound the introduction." All the mammoths from below began singing a long "Oh, oh, oh" as the mammoths above sounded the noises of their trunks.

The herd clapped and whistled. Diego rolled his eyes. "It's already started and I'm just now getting a headache."

"Diego, hush," Shira said sternly.

Keith nodded his head. "That gets better every time we practice it. Alright! Time to move on to the first song. I hope everybody's been practicing their part."

Ellie gasped silently. "This is Manny's opening scene."

"Okay, gentleman," Keith said, "Let us begin." He tapped his baton on the podium as the choir began singing.

 _Sho wop! Sho wop!_

 _Bop bo ba do ba do ba!_

 _Sho wop! Sho wop!_

 _Bop bo ba do ba do ba!_

Manny cleared his throat as he began singing.

Manny: _Well the night is fully grown_

 _Baby, I don't wanna miss a beat_

 _I'm ready for some fun_

 _Let's get a little heavy on our feet._

Ethan: _The night is filled with music and dancing_

 _Right underneath the moonlight_

 _Once we enter through those doors_

 _It all turns out very bright._

Choir: _Brighter than the day_

 _Brighter than the sun_

 _The night is finally here_

 _We're gonna have some fun._

Chorus:

 _Dance with me under the moonlight_

 _Dance with me under the stars_

 _Your beauty is closer in the night_

 _So don't step back too far_

 _This is the time_

 _This is the night_

 _So when you hear the chime_

 _We're gonna be so tight._

Manny: _This is the moment_

Choir: _(This is the moment)_

Ethan: _This is the moment_

Choir: _(This is the moment)_

Choir: _Stay close to me_

 _Then you will see_

 _That this is our moment_

 _(OOOHHHHHH!)_

 _This is the moment!_

The herd clapped and cheered. They were impressed.

This made Keith happy. "Thank you, everyone. I will admit that this was better than yesterday's rehearsal. Reasons will not be explained. Okay, this next song is sang by everybody. I hope they know this one, too."

"Can he really make those comments during the concert?"'Diego asked.

"Nope," Ellie said, "Only during rehearsals. He keeps all comments to himself until the end."

"Quiet in the audience, please," Keith said. He turned to face the choir. "Okay, everyone. Let's practice the next song." He tapped the podium once again for the choir to start the next song.

 _Bow wow wow wow wow!_

 _(Ohhhhhh!)_

 _Bow wow wow wow wow!_

 _(Ohhhhhh!)_

 _I feel like a hot dog_

 _In the blistering heat_

 _I feel sweaty from my head_

 _Down to my feet_

 _Is it because it's a hot summer day?_

 _No way!_

 _Is it because I see a smoking hot girl?_

 _Glory to the world!_

 _Making sure I looked nice and well fed_

 _I walked up to her and said_

Chorus:

 _Will you go out with me?_

 _Let's go out tonight_

 _We'll have a lot of fun_

 _Sitting next to the fire light_

 _Won't you come with me, girl?_

 _I'll be nice, I swear_

 _You look so beautiful_

 _No matter what you wear_

 _Go out with me tonight!_

 _Go out with me tonight!_

 _Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby!_

 _I want you here with me_

 _Come on, honey, don't be afraid_

 _Just come along and you'll see_

 _It wasn't hard to walk up to you today_

 _All I really had to say_

Choir:

 _Will you go out with me?_

 _Let's go out tonight_

 _We'll have a lot of fun_

 _Sitting next to the fire light_

 _Won't you come with me, girl?_

 _I'll be nice, I swear_

 _You look so beautiful_

 _No matter what you wear_

 _Go out with me tonight!_

 _Go out with me tonight!_

 _Go out with me, baby_

 _Come on, girl (Come on, girl)_

 _You're in the middle_

 _You're the center of my world_

 _Go out with me_

 _Go out with me tonight!_

Once again, the herd began clapping. Keith, on the other hand, quieted everyone down. He had that thought look on his face. "Something sounded...different about it. I'm not sure what it was, but just to be on the safe side, let's sing it again." There was no griping and groaning as the mammoths sang the song again.

Keith was right about the song sounding different. Throughout the whole time the choir was singing, Julian sang along with them. When the song ended, Keith turned around to hear Julian humming the song. Peaches tapped her husband on the shoulder. "Uh, honey. You're causing a scene."

"Was that you singing along with us?" Keith asked Julian.

"Uh, yeah," Julian said, "I feel awkward being the center of attention."

"That voice of yours. It fits with the choir in some sort of way. Come over here for a minute."

"Uh, okay." Julian walked over to Keith, worried that he would yell at him for butting into the song.

Instead, Keith smiled and said, "Sing me a tune. Any tune."

Julian's eyes widened with surprise. He wasn't expecting Keith to give him an audition. He couldn't refuse such an offer, so he nodded and said, "Okay. Listen well." Julian cleared his throat and sang.

 **Baby, I'm preying on you tonight**

 **Hunt you down, eat you alive**

 **Just like animals, animals, like animals**

 **Maybe you think that you can hide**

 **I can smell your scent for miles**

 **Just like animas, animals, like animals**

"Whoo!" Keith said, "That's what I call a voice! Boy, you have a gift!"

"Well, thank you," Julian said.

"Sonny, I know it's a little too late in the season of singing to ask you this, but I was wondering if you would like to be a part of the mammoth choir?"

"No way! Are you asking me to be a part of the mammoth choir?"

"I sure am."

"Wow! What is honor times a million? No, times a billion? Wait a second. How about times a jillion? 'Cause whatever that equals is how honored I am."

"So is that a yes? Would you like to be a part of the mammoth choir?"

"Yes! Yes, I would. I will admit that it is the most yes I have ever had. I mean it's like a yes with a bunch of 's so it's like yesssssssssss."

"Okay then. Welcome aboard." Keith shook Julian's trunk. "You are officially part of the mammoth choir. Come on, everyone. Welcome our newest member."

"Welcome!" the entire choir shouted out.

"So would you like for me to start right now or what?" Julian asked.

"I would love for you to start today, but we are still in the middle of rehearsal right now. I do promise that first thing tomorrow, you will have your own position up on that stage singing your heart out."

"Thank you so much, Keith! You don't know how excited I am!"

"I can tell by the look in your eyes. Your first assignment today will be to sit and study the songs. I'll see you on that stage first thing tomorrow morning."

"Congrats, Julian," Manny said, "I'm glad to see that you're a part of the choir."

"Okay, everyone. Let's practice the second song one more time," Keith said, tapping his baton on the podium.

While the choir began singing again, Julian couldn't believe it. Just a few minutes ago, he was sitting in the pew, listening to the songs singing around him. Now he would have the chance to sing them surrounded by other mammoths. He couldn't get that one thought off his mind.

 _I'm in the choir._

 **NEXT SCENE:**

After rehearsal ended, while Julian and Peaches along with her possum uncles, Granny and Teddy left to start heading out to do their daily activities, Manny and the rest of the trio went to Diego and Shira's place to prepare for parenting classes while Ellie and her trio went to her's and Manny's place to begin her class. The female mammoth saw the look in Shira`s eyes when class was starting. Brooke, on the other hand, had no looks of nervousness or fear on her face.

Ellie walked over behind the rock chalk board and looked at Tara. The female weasel was getting ready to help give a demonstration for the class. The female mammoth smiled. "Thanks for helping me out with this. I know it won't be easy putting on a show like this."

"At least I won't be demonstrating the birthing process," Tara said, "When do you plan to teach that to them?"

"One of Peaches' friends is having a baby next week so I'm taking them over to the hospital and demonstrating it to them there."

"What a wonderful educational and spine chilling process it will be." Tara put a leaf dress on and held up a coconut. "When do you want me to come out?"

"Wait for me to tap the board three times and you can come out then. That'll be your signal. I have a lot to teach these girls." Ellie walked back over to where Shira and Brooke were waiting on her. "Sorry about that. I'm just trying to prepare on how I'm gonna explain this."

"Can you go ahead and prepare on not explaining this?" Shira asked.

"Now Shira," Brooke said, "What we're about to learn is educational. It's been over two hundred years since I was a midwife. This won't be anything new to me."

"It will be for me. I ran away from home before my mom could teach me about this type of stuff."

Ellie cleared her throat. "Can we start class, please?"

"Of course, Mrs. Ellie," Brooke said.

Thank you. Now today's topic, as you two are aware, is all about pregnancy. Now the gestation period, which is the amount of time pregnancy last, is different for all species. When I was pregnant with Peaches, my gestation with her was about eleven months. It's different with mammoths. We can be pregnant for about ten to fifteen months. With sabers and sloths, it's different. Sabers are normally pregnant for about five to seven months while sloths are only pregnant for about four to six months. Either way, both your gestation periods are about the same. The only average is five months. That's the gestation process.

"Now let's go ahead and talk about the trimesters. I have a little demonstration for this part of the lesson. The three trimesters are pretty much the same for every species. Some are more rapid than others are. Either way, it's all the same. Now the first trimester is always the difficult one. Finding out you're pregnant is one thing, but having to go through all the symptoms is way over the limit. Nausea, headaches, vomiting, cramping, bloating and all that. All of that is really known as morning sickness. It really only happens during the first trimester. Once the second trimester comes up, the morning sickness is gone, but that's the least of your worries. Some of it still sticks around, including the headaches and the bloating, but throughout your whole pregnancy, you have to deal with mood swings and cravings. You just think it's all too much. Then comes the third trimester. You start to get tired a lot, you have to go to the bathroom more frequently, and your husband is constantly breathing down your neck all the time. It's maddening, but you know what? It's all worth it to bring a sweet little gift from above into the world. This is only the pregnancy part, though. We won't be learning about the birthing process until next week."

"That's gonna be even worse than talking about this," Shira said.

"This is all starting to come back to my memory now,"'Brooke said.

"Now that you girls have learned the basics, it's time to show you girls a demonstration," Ellie said, tapping on the board three times. Right on cue, Tara came out with a leaf dress on.

Tara waved at the girls. "Hello."

"What's going on here?" Shira asked.

"Tara, present a demonstration from finding out you are pregnant to your final days of pregnancy," Ellie said to the female weasel.

"Sure thing, Ellie," Tara said. She began her monologue by freaking out. "Oh, my goodness! Of all the things the doctor had to tell me! Why, oh why did he have to tell me that I'm pregnant?" She started to fake cry. "Oh, how am I gonna explain this to my dearest Buck?" Little did they know that Buck had just passed by and was listening to Tara as she continued. "How will he react? Will he love the news? Will he hate it? Oh, what am I gonna do?"

Buck gasped quietly and started swinging away from the cave. "I can't believe this. Tara is pregnant. Oh, this is bad. I gotta go fine Gavin." He continued swinging away.

Meanwhile, Tara was demonstrating the third trimester. The coconut was under the leaf dress as she was pretending to be tired and grouchy. "Oh, I can't stand being pregnant anymore. Having to go to the bathroom every five minutes. I don't even have a moment of peace anymore from my husband. He's always standing right next to me no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Oh, great. Now I have to go to the bathroom again. My husband wants to follow me, as usual. I hope this is the moment where my water finally breaks." Soon the milk from the coconut splash on the floor. Tara bows to her audience.

Ellie smiled. "Thank you, Tara. We really do wanna thank you for taking the time to do this."

"You can always count on me, Ellie. Well, most of the time. I better get going, though. Buck's probably wondering where I am. See you later." Tara waved goodbye to everyone and walked out of the cave.

"Wonderful demonstration," Shira said, "Is class over yet?"

"Not yet," Ellie said, "I still have to tell you the story about my pregnancy with Peaches."

"Seriously?"

"Oh, tell us, Mrs. Ellie," Brooke said.

So Ellie began telling the story about her pregnancy with Peaches. Shira did her best not to walk out the door. Brooke was intrigued with the story. Like Ellie said at the beginning. These girls have a lot to learn.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Meanwhile, over at the saber's place in the front yard, Manny was now starting to teach his parenting class. He would be teaching Diego and Sid the role of an expecting father. He would teach them the importance of taking care of their pregnant wife. He even drew a demonstration of it on the stone board to give the guys a better idea.

Manny looked at his class. "Okay, guys. Today we are going to be learning about the importance of taking care of your pregnant wife. How to keep them safe during their pregnancy. The pros and cons of what they can and can't do while they're pregnant. Most of all, you will pretty much be learning about how to be an over protective husband."

"What's the importance of being a good husband to your pregnant wife?" Sid asked, "Also, what should the husband's pros and cons be of taking care of her?"

"Excellent questions, Sid. I'll be expecting some from you next, Diego. The importance of being a good husband to your pregnant wife is to always be there for them. Satisfy their needs. Whenever she has cravings, make sure to give her exactly what she wants. Whether it be an apple or an antelope, make sure to give it to her. Make sure that she's comfortable at all times. Being pregnant has its drawbacks. Make things a little easier for them. Whether it be cleaning the cave or going grocery shopping, help them out as much as you can. Don't make them do all the work while their carrying your baby. That's really what being a good husband is. To help them out, take care of them and be there for them.

"Now the pros and cons you have to know. This is basically protecting you from getting killed by a pregnant woman. Here are the pros. Be respectful of what your wife wants. She's pretty much gonna have a pregnant brain and will do things her own way. Don't make her do things the way you want them done. That'll just make her angry. Another thing. Let them feed themselves unless need be. A girl's gonna eat when a girl's gonna eat. Don't feed them like their little kids. Let them feed themselves until it gets to the point where they want you to make their meals. One more pro. Give her time to herself. Let's face it. The closer she gets, the more over protective you'll be. Here's the one thing that makes them angry. Following them around all day. Whether it's just taking a walk or going to the bathroom, you will always be following them. You live in the same place, but don't stick next to each other in the same room. Let her stay in one room and you stay in the other. That way she can have her space and you can be calm knowing that she's safe in another room in the cave. Those are important pros for the husband.

"Now here are the cons. Don't mess with your wife's mood swings. Pregnant women can get fiesty. Be careful. They are not afraid to yell at you and they cannot control their emotions. Their emotions are all out of whack. They're either crying about something, laughing for no reason, or yelling in your face. All I can say is to be careful. Another thing. Don't disrespect your wife's pregnancy symptoms. Don't even go around her when it happens. The first few weeks when they're pregnant is a mess. Some of it will still be around when she gets closer into her pregnancy. Vomiting, nausea, gasiness, bloating. All of it. It'll be exhausting to her, so try to keep your distance. One more thing. Don't tell the truth. Throughout her whole pregnancy, your wife will ask you continuously if this part of her body is fat or is that part of her body fat. Just tell her she's not fat and leave it at that. Don't hesitate. That let's them know you're thinking about it. Give them a direct answer and everything will be fine. So does that answer your questions, Sid?"

"It certainly did," Sid said, "You have such a way with words."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." Manny placed his attention on Diego. "Diego, you have any questions?"

"About what?" Diego asked.

"Is there anything specific you wanna know about today's lesson?" Manny asked.

"Manny, I already feel uncomfortable talking about all this."

"How does stuff like this make you uncomfortable?"'Sid asked.

"It just does," Diego said, "I don't know why. I don't think I'm meant to become a father. This is all too much to take in."

"I know how you feel, Diego," Manny said, "I didn't know anything about fatherhood until Ellie and I found out we were pregnant with Peaches. That's how I was able to learn all this stuff. Now I can teach it to others."

"Yeah, but we still won't be able to learn the birthing process," Sid said.

"Don't worry. One of Peaches' friends is having a baby next week. You'll learn it from her. Now let me tell you the story about my experience during Ellie's pregnancy."

"Oh, boy," Diego said.

Manny began his story. Sid was interested in hearing it, but Diego was doing his best not to walk away from class. Looks like both he and Shira had the same thoughts. They may never be ready for parenthood.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The Switchback Juice Springs was a full house. Well, it always was. Couples enjoying smoothies, friends having fun and all other types of stuff was going on. Over at one of the wooden counter bars, Peaches was hanging out with her best friend Megan. Peaches had planned to spend time with her friend after her father's rehearsal. She tried to make time with her friends as much as possible to hear about the latest in Switchback Cove. If anybody knew more gossip around the island than any other mammal, it was Megan. She had a skill at overhearing conversations. Gossip was what she lived for.

The moment they sat down, Megan started the rumors. "Oh, my gosh. There was this guy name Terry who went inside this fur shop over at the Switchback Mall and he told the worker over there that he wanted something that would keep his shell warm at night. So the worker kept showing the guy all these different furs..." On and on she went. When will she stop? Nobody knows.

Especially Peaches. She cared about Megan, but the girl didn't know how to shut up when she was asked. Peaches finally had to change the subject. "So has anything happened lately with you and not somebody else?"

"Not a lot is going on. I went to visit Lucy yesterday and she looks like she's ready to pop. Literally. The poor girl is exhausted and she's not due for a week. Her husband is pretty much her watchdog. He won't let her out of his sight. Not even for her to go to the bathroom. I hate seeing her like this, though. Then the day before that, I went to see if I could find any of that really sweet scented perfume at that Beautiful Scents store at the Switchback Mall and they were literally all out. I love the smell of cherry blossoms in my fur. It makes me feel alive. So that's basically it."

Peaches was surprised that Megan ended it that quick. She decided to push forward a little bit. "Is there anything else going on that I should know about?"

"There isn't anything else going on. Come on. I haven't seen you in a week. What's been going on with you lately?"

"Well, Julian and I went to my dad's choir rehearsal today. Guess who Julian and I saw over there?"

"Who?"

"Ethan. We got to talking to him and he told us that you two started going out again. Is that true?"

"Yeah, it's true. What's so bad about that?"

"What's so bad about it? Do you remember what happened four years ago? He was dating girls behind your back while the two of you were dating. The whole time. Once you found out, you told him to get lost. Tell me why you're dating him again. Are you wanting the past to repeat itself?"

"No, but ever since all the girls found out what Ethan did, nobody would date him. He went off to distract himself from dating any girls. He did everything. Learning to swim, did yoga, traveled around the island and a bunch of other stuff. Nowadays, he's pretty much his own mammoth. Then we bumped into each other at the market and then went to get some lunch. We talked things through and thought that going out on one date wouldn't hurt. So we did, I enjoyed it and so did he. We decided to give each other another chance."

"How long have you guys been seeing each other again?"

"About six weeks."

"Have you guys kissed?"

"No, but we have hugged each other a couple of times. We're just taking this slow and going one step at a time."

"How do you know he's not gonna go behind your back again?"

"Peaches, I haven't seen him since the day I told him to get lost. That's the one time he actually listened to me. Have you seen him around any other girls? Do you know what Steffie's doing now? Pretty much ruining her life. She went off and married that mammoth guy named Stewart after they only dated for six weeks. She only married him because he promised her that he would get her anything she wanted. He was gonna make her a star. So they left Switchback Cove in a heartbeat to make their way over to the Mainlands. Do you know what's gonna happen to her in ten years?"

"She ends up having kids, does something stupid that will either ruin her life or her marriage or both, and she'll end up having to leave and come back home to Switchback Cove with her kids."

"Exactly. Ethan would never hang out with somebody with a bad reputation. He's at least that smart. Plus, he won't be able to go anywhere near Katie. She's a married woman who fell in love with Barry. They've been married for two years now. Can you believe it? She's been married longer than any of us."

"You're not even married."

"Not yet, but I will one day. Speaking of Katie, have you heard about the big news with her and Barry?"

"No. What is it?"

"She's pregnant!"

"You said what now?"

"I'm not kidding! She's actually pregnant!"

"No way! How many weeks?"

"Well, she told me during the weekend that she was three weeks into her pregnancy."

"Oh, my gosh! We have to throw a party to celebrate!"

"We should go ahead and start planning for her baby shower."

"Even better than a party!"

One of the hyraxes scurried up to the mammoth girls and placed a finger to his lips, telling them to quiet down.

"Sorry," both girls said. The hyrax soon ran along to continue his work.

"So about the baby shower," Megan said.

Both girls began to discuss random stuff. They were glad to at least hang out once a week. Who else had all the answers in the world?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at Switchback Park, Gavin was perched in one of the trees. The kids were out with some friends so he had the rest of the day to himself. The peaceful wind was the only noise he could hear. That and Buck smacking himself into a tree. Gavin sighed, knowing the peace wouldn't last long. He flew down and helped the insane weasel to his feet.

"What's going on, Buck?" Gavin asked.

"Gavin, I need your help," Buck said, "I overheard Tara talking to the girls about something that I was hoping would not happen until marriage."

"What did she say?"

"She's pregnant!"

"Okay, when was the last time you got too close to her?"

"This morning when we were making out. Oh, no! What have I done? I caused this to happen."

"Buck, I don't think that a girl becomes pregnant that fast after it happens."

"You don't know that. All mammals are different. It can happen at any moment and any time."

"Well have you seen her go through any symptoms?"

"Symptoms?"

"You know. Pregnancy symptoms. Vomiting, nausea, cravings, mood swings, headaches, the works. Ellen used to go through it a lot when she was expecting Gertie and Roger."

"I don't think I've seen her go through any symptoms and I'm around her a lot."

"Well unless you've seen proof, I won't be able to believe you."

"I'm telling you, Gavin. I heard her say it to the other girls."

"Well, I wasn't there, Buck. I didn't hear her say it."

"Well, I did. That means you have to believe me."

"Are you that crazy, Buck?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, if she starts going through symptoms, let me know." Gavin made his way back up into the trees.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to relax. The kids are out so I'm trying to enjoy some freedom. Say, where your pumpkin daughter?"

Buck gasped. "Did I leave her home alone again? Gotta go!" Buck grabbed a vine and started swinging away.

Gavin sighed peacefully. Now he could enjoy the rest of the day in silence. Living peacefully is the best way to live.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day, Julian was making his way over to Manny and Ellie's place. It was his first day of mammoth choir practice and he couldn't wait. He wanted to be nice and pick Manny up for a change since the young mammoth was in such a good mood. Knocking on the wooden door, he saw Manny had answered it.

Manny was happy to see his son-in-law. "Hey, Julian. Ready for choir practice?"

"You know it!" Julian said, "I am so psyched! I can't believe this day has finally come. I knew that since the moment I heard the song you guys sang yesterday that I wanted to be a part of the mammoth choir."

"Well just remember that it's not all fun and games. You gotta take something like this seriously. Especially when Keith's around. He's not afraid of blowing his trunk in somebody's face when they don't cooperate with him."

"Don't worry, Manny. I'll be on my best behavior. I promise."

The two mammoths made their way over to Switchback Theatre. They looked to see that Keith was getting everybody in position. He seemed to be in a better mood than he normally is. He was in an even better mood when he saw Julian. Keith walked over to him. "Julian! I'm glad you could make it. I was not gonna let this rehearsal start until you arrived. Come on, boy. I got a great position on the stage for you. Manny, you know where your place is. Get to it."

"You got it, Keith," Manny said, making his way over to his position, which was the front row at the center right on the stage. He saw that Keith had placed Julian on the second row at the center where he could be seen better.

Keith tapped his baton on the wooden podium, clearing his throat. "Okay, everybody. Let's begin with the first song. You should know it so let's do it."

They all practiced the first song. It sounded a lot better with Julian singing it with everyone. He knew something seemed off, though. Not the song, but the way the stage was positioned. Once the first song ended, he walked over to the front center of the stage.

Manny knew something was wrong. "Is everything okay, Keith?"

"Something just seems off about the position over here," Keith said, "We need to make a couple of slight changes. Manny, come place yourself in the front center. Julian, you come and take place next to Manny. Kevin, trade places with Julian." All three did as they were told and traded positions. Keith nodded. "Better. I'll have to keep an eye on this part of the stage, but for now it looks okay. OKAY, let's begin the second song." It wasn't long before they practiced song number two. Since everyone sang that song, there wasn't anything different about it. Keith smiled. "Excellent job, everyone. Next up is the third song." He tapped his baton as everyone began to sing.

 _Here we come, here we go_

 _Where we'll stop, nobody knows_

 _Here we come, here we go_

 _Look how big our love can grow_

 _Stop! Wait a minute!_

 _Don't push the limit_

 _Stop! Wait a minute!_

 _I can't believe it_

 _Bum! Bum! Bum!_

 _Bum! Bum! Bum!_

Manny: _Love is what brings us together_

 _It gives us hope and life_

 _If we can't be inseparable_

 _Can I ask you to be my wife?_

Chorus: _Oh, baby, will you marry me?_

 _At the beach right by the sea_

 _All you have to do is say I do_

 _To let me know that I love you_

 _I'll be the happiest man I can be_

 _If you will just marry me_

 _Marry me! Marry me! (Oh, oh, oh!)_

 _Marry me! Marry me! (Oh, oh, oh!)_

Manny: _We'll have the greatest time of our lives_

 _We'll be the best on the dance floor_

 _You're the one, baby, you're the one_

 _To give me love and so much more_

Choir: _The only thing I ask of you_

 _Is to say the words I do_

 _Oh, baby, baby, baby!_

 _Oh, baby, baby, baby!_

 _Marry me! Marry me! (Oh, oh, oh!)_

 _Marry me! Marry me! (Oh, oh, oh!)_

 _Oh, oh, oh!_

The song ended, but Keith still felt a strange sensation in him. That's when the thought struck him like a lightning bolt. He knew what had to change and who it had to be changed over to.

Keith walked over to everyone. "Okay, everyone. Looks like I'm gonna have to make a couple of changes. I just had this strange feeling that something wasn't right. Then it came to me. Manny, I'm gonna have to switch the solo part of this song from you to Julian."

"Why's that, Keith?" Manny asked.

"Don't get me wrong, Manny. You have a wonderful voice. For some reason, Julian would make the part sound amazing. Give him a chance, Manny."

"Keith, I don't want you to have to give me one of Manny's solo parts," Julian said.

"Now, Julian," Manny said, "Keith is the choir director. It's his choice of who has what part in the song." Deep down inside, Manny wasn't hoping to give away one of his solo parts, but he would do anything for Keith to help make the concert a success. Even if that means he has to give up a part to do so.

"I do appreciate that, Manny," Keith said. Suddenly another thought came up in his mind. "Why don't we all take five? Manny, Julian, come over here. I need to talk to you for a minute."

The two mammoths walked over to Keith while the rest of the choir made their way off the stage. Manny looked at Keith. "What's going on in your mind now, Keith?"

"Manny, you're going to hate me for doing this. I've decided to give all your solo parts in this concert to Julian."

"What?"

"What?" Julian shouted.

"Now hear me out, boys," Keith said, "Manny, I'm only doing this to give Julian a chance. This might be his only moment to shower his remarkable singing voice to the whole island. You've had plenty of solo parts over the years, Manny. Give someone else a chance. The choir sings the last two songs. Don't be down in the dumps about the rest of the day. Go on and get yourselves hydrated before we finish up for today. Julian, make sure you memorize those solo parts by tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Keith," Julian said.

"Three more minutes, everybody!" Keith shouted.

Throughout the rest of choir practice, Manny had anger raging within him. He was used to being the idol. The star of the show. The one with more solos than anyone else in the mammoth choir. He had jealousy inside him. At that moment, he knew Julian had stolen something precious from him. Something that he had grown accustomed to doing. He would make sure that his son-in-law paid the price.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at Switchback Park, Tara was sitting on a stump. She was waiting for Buck who had promised her a picnic in the park. He was already fifteen minutes late and she was starting to worry. Gavin saw her and made his way over to the female weasel. The male dino bird recalled Buck saying something about having a picnic with Tara and was wondering why he hadn't shown up yet.

"I don't get it," Tara said, "Buck is never late for anything. What's going on with him?"

"Well, I don't wanna spread any rumors, but I think you should know," Gavin said, "The question I'm about to ask you involves with what's going on." He paused a moment and took a deep breath. "Are you pregnant?"

Tara was shocked. "Am I what?"

"Well, Buck overheard you talking to the girls yesterday and telling them that you were pregnant. That's what he told me."

"No, I'm not pregnant. What Buck overheard was a demonstration I was giving to Shira and Brooke about the beginning to end on the topic about pregnancy. I was helping Ellie show them what it was all about. Buck was just getting the wrong idea."

"I knew it couldn't have happened while the two of you were making out yesterday."

"To be perfectly clear, why is Buck going to you about everything? I don't have a problem with it or anything. I just wanna know why."

"Probably to annoy me like he normally does. I'm sure he's probably on his way over here by now. Are you gonna break the news to him?"

Tara gave it some thought and shook her head. "No, I think I'll let him figure it out for himself. I think it's time he started pampering me a little."

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Gavin made his way back up into the trees.

At that moment Buck ran up to Tara. "I am so sorry I'm late, Tara. I would've been here sooner, but I ended up having to help a family of dung beetles head back over to their home. Please don't let your mood swings get the best of you."

"Mood swings?" Tara asked him, "This is gonna be a regular thing, isn't it? You arriving whenever you want to? I suppose you didn't even get me what I'm craving for right now."

"Well, you did tell me that your favorite food was mango and strawberries covered in blueberry jam." Buck chuckled nervously. "I hope I got what you were craving for."

Tara placed a sly grin on her face. "That's not what I'm craving for at all. I'm in the mood for apples."

"Okay. Anything else?"

"I also want cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top of it."

"Yes, yes. What else?"

"I want a side salad. In it, I want leaves, pinecone bits, bananas, and honey drizzled all over it. And for a beverage, I want coconut milk."

"I'll make sure to get all that for you. I'll even rub your feet or spark up your fur."

"No. All I want is food."

"You got it. I'll be right back."

Once Buck left, Tara started laughing her head off. "Oh, this is gonna be fun." With that being said, she started enjoying the meal that Buck had made for her. Pranks tasted sweet to her. It's time for the girls to have a little fun without an adventure.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That same afternoon after choir practice, Manny was pretty much in a bad mood. He dreaded the thought about having to go back tomorrow. His hatred for his son-in-law was growing. He shouldn't be mad at Julian, but he was. Keith was the one he should be mad at. It was the choir director that took Manny's part away and gave it to Julian. Manny was angry with Julian because now the young mammoth would be taking the spotlight instead of him. This was pure jealousy that the bull mammoth was going through.

Even Ellie knew that Manny was in a bad mood. The moment that he came home, nothing but silence filled inside him as he sat on the couch and watched the show hole. She knew her husband was more important than the dishes were and decided to have a chat with him. She sat next to him and placed her trunk on his. "So how was choir practice today?"

"Horrible," was all Manny said as he tried paying attention to the show that was appearing in front of him.

"How horrible was it?"

"Horrible enough that I refuse to go back tomorrow."

"What? Manny, you enjoy going to choir practice. It's one of the things that make you happy."

"Yeah, well you try to go and explain to Keith that I want my solo parts back."

"What are you talking about?"

"He gave all my solo parts to Julian."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes, that's bad."

"Can I ask why?"

"Because I'm so used to everyone hearing me. The one and only Manfred. The greatest mammoth singer of them all. I have more experience than he does."

"Manny, stop acting like a spoiled little kid that thinks he deserves whatever he wants. Your jealous of Julian taking your solo parts away."

"I'm not jealous. He's not an experience soloist. It doesn't just happen overnight. Keith's made the wrong choice. How is Julian supposed to learn this stuff by next week?"

"Well, why don't you teach him?"

"Teach him what? The solo parts?"

"Yeah. If anyone's had more solo parts around the choir, it has to be you. You have a lot of experience with it. Teach Julian what you know. Give him a chance, Manny. Let me ask you something. Did you start out with a solo part for your first time in the choir?"

"No. It took a lot of time learning the in's and out's with Keith before I was able to sing a song. What's the difference between Julian and me?"

"I don't know. Maybe Keith just likes the excitement Julian has. All I'm telling you is to just give him a chance. He deserves it as much as you do."

Manny sighed, finally giving in. "Okay, I'll do it."

"That's my man." Ellie hugged her husband. "Are you still gonna go to choir practice?"

"Yes, Ellie."

"Are you gonna teach Julian those solo parts?"

"Yes, Ellie."

"Are you gonna clean the bathroom?"

"Yes, Ellie. Wait. Clean the bathroom?"

Ellie chuckled. "Love you too, Manny." She went back into the kitchen and continued to wash the dishes. She hoped that her talk with Manny would put some sense into him.

As always, she was wrong. Manny always had a trick up his fur to get what he wanted. He was gonna make sure Julian never sings his solo parts. Oh, there's way too much jealousy going on in that stubborn mammoth's mind.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

It was three days before the concert. Julian and Manny were hanging out over at the Switchback Juice Springs. It was another day after an exhausting dress rehearsal. Manny finally had a plan to make sure that he got his solo part back. During rehearsal, Manny heard Julian clear his throat a few times after one of their five minute breaks. He knew the young mammoth's voice was getting tired and he had a plan to tire it out more.

A hyrax brought them some juice. Julian drowned his down, taking a deep breath. "That feels a lot better. I'm still glad for those breaks. I sing more than any of the other mammoths. I really need to rest my voice. Good thing I have those solo parts memorized."

"You know, I've been doing solo parts in the choir for a long time, Julian," Manny said, "I think I have a few tips on how you can get better at them."

"Manny, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I didn't want Keith to give me your solo parts, but what could I tell him? He makes all the decisions. Look, I'll go talk to him and see if he can't give it back to you."

"No, no, that's alright. You deserve this chance. I just wanna help you out so you can become better for future solo parts."

"I will be honest with you. I am nervous. Anything that can help me out with that?"

"Some animals can read body languages. Some animals can sense it. Some animals have the nerve to tell Keith about it. Trust me. You don't wanna get on Keith's bad side. Here's the best way to get over nerves. Concentrate on your singing and nothing more. Remember only the empty seats in the audience during rehearsals."

"Really? I thought the best way to avoid the crowd telling you were nervous is if you pretended they were all furless."

"That's just an old folklore. It doesn't work."

"So how do I concentrate more on my singing?" Julian whistled to one of the hyraxes for a refill.

"Whenever there's a big concert coming up and I have a solo part, I keep singing it over and over again until I get it right. And I don't stop singing it until the night of the concert." Manny took a sip of his juice.

"Wouldn't you lose your voice If you did that?" The hyrax brought over Julian's drink.

"As long as you don't even make a whisper after the concert, in a few days you'll be fine."

"I don't know. Peaches kept singing this song that got stuck in her head over and over for three whole days and her voice ended up going hoarse."

"Did she sing it continuously or from time to time?"

"Continuously. She couldn't get it out of her head."

"Then you have to do the opposite of that. Just sing the solo parts from time to time. That'll make it a whole lot easier on your voice."

"Wow! What great advice you give. This is why I always tell you that you are my main mammoth. Thanks, Manny."

"Anytime, Julian."

"Do you still think I'll do good at the concert?"

"Of course you will. You'll be the best soloist there."

Unfortunately for Julian, Manny gave him some advice that was not meant to take seriously. When all is said and done, Julian will probably get hit and Manny will have to take the balance for it. Why? Because it was bad advice that led to disasters.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The day before the concert, Ellie was holding both hers and Manny's parenting class while her husband was performing for his final practice before tomorrow. That day, Diego and Shira almost wanted to throw up. They had just experienced Peaches' friend Lucy give birth to her new baby boy. It was the only thing Ellie knew would help to teach them the birthing process. It pretty much scarred the sabers for life, but Brooke and Sid were not even grossed out one bit with what they just experienced. Ellie had thought that Sid would pass out, but he was actually there to give Lucy some encouragement. This proves that he was actually listening in class. Unlike Diego, who just stood there with his eyes widened the whole time.

"I can't believe we just witnessed that," Shira said, "This whole thing scares me. I'm just not ready to have kids."

"Now Shira," Ellie said, "Remember what I told you last week. This stuff is different with all types of animals."

"I want to become a mother. How much pain will I have to go through with all this stuff?"

"That's why you're taking parenting classes. To bring your confidence up into wanting kids. It's also to prove that parenthood is not easy."

"Now that I've had a refresher, would you like me to assist you in birth if need be, Shira?" Brooke asked.

"I'll keep my mind on it," Shira said, "But only because you have experience with being a midwife."

"I suppose I have passed the test for what a good husband should do when his wife is in labor," Sid said.

"Now I know that I'll have someone next to me that will lead me through a painful time," Brooke said.

"Hey, guys," Manny said,walking up to everyone, "How was today's parenting class?"

"Manny, I'm scarred for life," Diego said.

"Was it that bad?"

"It wasn't that bad," Ellie said, "You should know how it went."

"But I don't know how it went," Manny said.

Ellie frowned. "Maybe you should've skipped choir practice today so you could've had a refresher."

"I would've, but it's the day before the concert. If I didn't go, Keith would have my head on a dinner platter. By the way, I have some bad news."

"What is it?"

"Julian won't be able to sing at the concert tomorrow."

"He won't?" Sid said with shock in his voice.

"What happened?" Diego asked.

"He ended up singing his solo parts too much," Manny said, "He told me he was nervous, but I told him to pretend that the audience wasn't there and think of it like any normal rehearsal." Suddenly a coconut smacked Manny in the back of the head. "Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head. "Crash! Eddie!"

The two possums were seen in one of the trees. They both gave nervous grins. "Don't blame us!"

"Don't pretend that you didn't throw this coconut at me," Manny told the possums.

"It was me, Dad and I meant to hit you with it," Peaches said with an angry look on her face as she and Julian made their way to the rest of the herd.

"Peaches, why would you do that?" Ellie asked her daughter.

"Because it's Dad's fault that Julian won't be able to sing his solo part tomorrow night."

"How is it my fault?" Manny asked.

"You told Julian to keep singing the parts over and over again until he got them right," Peaches said, "No wonder he kept singing them all the time."

"I told him not to sing them continuously." Manny placed his trunk over his mouth. He did not mean for that to slip out.

Peaches gasped. "Daddy, how could you?"

"Manny, why would you give Julian advice like that?" Ellie asked.

"I couldn't stand the fact that he took my solo part away so I decided to get it back," Manny said.

"So your jealousy is so bad that you had to take Julian's part away from him?"

"It wasn't even his part to begin with. It was mine."

"My mother once had this saying when I was little and I took stuff away from my siblings," Shira said, "It's like taking candy from a baby."

"What does candy have to do with all this?" Sid asked.

"It's only an expression, sweetie," Brooke said, "What Shira meant was by taking candy from a baby, Manny took the solo part from Julian."

"Oh, I get it now." Sid gave Manny a stern look. "Shame on you, Manny. I can't even look at you the same way right now."

"Manny, I'm sure this solo part was as important to Julian as it was to you," Ellie said, "That's probably why Keith gave it to him."

"But now that Julian's voice is gone, he won't be able to sing the solo parts," Peaches said, her eyes welling up with tears, "Thanks a lot, Daddy." She ran off, Julian following after her.

"Peaches!" Manny called out to his daughter. It was too late, though. She was gone.

Ellie started making her way back to the trail, but not before looking back at Manny. "Dinner's in a couple of hours. And your washing the dishes tonight." She made her way back home.

Everyone else started making their way towards the trail. A thought struck Manny as he reached his trunk out and snatched Diego towards him. The male saber struggled in his grasp. "What gives?"

"Diego, I need your help," Manny said.

"I'm not gonna help you fix your problem, Manny. You're on your own."

"Diego, I know you can sing. I need you to do this favor for me."

"I'm not doing it. Get Sid to help you."

"If you recall, when it comes to singing, Sid is terrible at it."

Diego couldn't blame Manny there. Sid was a terrible singer. He could remember all the times that Sid's terrible voice got in the way of things. Diego sighed. He wanted to help, but he still wasn't convinced. "I don't know. What's in it for me?"

"Okay, hear me out. If you and Shira end up getting into those fights where she kicks you out for a little while, you can stay at my place until things cool down." Manny saw that Diego was thinking about it and sighed. "It's an offer you can't refuse."

"Sure, why not? Okay, what favor do you want me to do?"

"I have an idea. I need to give Julian back the solo parts. Since he can't sing, you're gonna have to do it for him."

"How's he gonna be able to follow me singing if I'm backstage and he's up on the stage?"

"He'll be lip sinking. He'll move his mouth, but you'll be the one singing. It has to work. I know it can. I once knew this guy who used to lip sink for this other guy who's dream was to become a singer but he couldn't sing a note. Trust me. I've seen it before."

"Well we still have to tell Julian the plan and you need to figure out how to talk Keith into giving Julian the solo parts back."

"Let's go talk to Julian first. I'll talk to Keith in the morning."

The two of them made it over to Julian and Peaches' place. Poor Julian was moping around in the front yard of his home by the time his father-in-law and Diego showed up.

Manny could tell by the expression on Julian's face that he wasn't happy to see them. "I know you're mad at me, Julian, but I have a plan to make sure you sing that solo part tomorrow. Even though you lost your voice, I know what we can do. Diego here will go backstage and sing for you. You'll be on the stage pretending to sing, but you'll move your mouth and hear Diego sing the words and follow along with him. It's called lip sinking. I know it will work if we make it work."

Julian turned away from Manny. He wasn't planning on doing anything until Manny admits he was jealous.

"I think Julian refuses to do it until you apologize," Diego said.

"Alright, fine," Manny said, "Julian, I'm sorry. I will admit that I was jealous that you were given the solo parts. I shouldn't have been mad about it in the first place. Keith was the one that said you could have it. He knows you have potential. I know you have potential. If he thinks you can do it, then so can I. I've had more solo parts than I can count. It's time to give someone else a chance. All I ask is that you forgive me."

Julian turned his head around and gave Manny a smirk. That's all he wanted was an apology. He nodded to his father-in-law.

"I think that means he forgives you," Diego said.

Manny smiled. "So are you still up to the plan?" Julian nodded. "Great. I'll go to Keith first thing in the morning and tell him you got your voice back, but there's a slight change with it. After that we'll go the rest of the way from there."

There are moments when Manny can be such a great guy. He's actually gotten a lot better as time flies by. Now all they have to do is make sure Julian and Diego do well with the solo parts and hope that the concert doesn't turn out into a disaster.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The evening for the Male Mammoth Choir Concert finally arrived. The herd started making their way to the Switchback Theatre. Manny had to be there early to get ready and took Julian and Diego along to help out. The rest of the herd started making their way there. Although they weren't in the brightest of all moods for this show as they normally are for others in the past. They all knew what it was going to be. Bland and boring.

"I don't even know why I agreed to come," Shira said, "I think Manny's already ruined it."

"But we should still support him, right Ellie?" Brooke asked.

"Yes, we should," Ellie said, "I know there have been some problems with this one, but we should still support Manny."

"I would still rather support Julian than that other stubborn butt of a mammoth," Gladys said.

"For once I agree with you," Shira said.

"Buck, I can walk," they all heard Tara say from behind them, "You don't have to carry me around everywhere."

"Being on your feet stresses you out," Buck said, carrying Tara on his back, "I have to make sure you are fully relaxed."

"I don't think sitting on your back is as comfortable as just walking on my own."

"What is going on with those two?" Ellie asked, "They've been acting like that for a while now."

"I don't know, but yesterday I saw Buck making a soft bed for Tara to sleep on at night," Shira said.

"I think it's time we got to the bottom of this." Ellie walked over to the two weasels. "Hey, Buck. Can I talk to Tara for just a second?"

"Sure," Buck said, "As long as she's with you, she'll be safe. I need to go relax my arms for a minute." He walked away towards the entrance of the theatre.

Ellie looked at Tara. "Tara, what is going on?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Is there something going on between you and Buck?"

"Oh, no. Everything's fine."

Ellie still wasn't convinced. "Tara?"

Tara sighed. "Okay, fine. Buck thinks I'm pregnant and I'm making him believe that I am."

"Why would he think that you're pregnant?"

"He overheard me giving Shira and Brooke that demonstration in your parenting class."

"So it was a misunderstanding?"

"Yes, it was."

"Why haven't you told him the truth yet?"

"I just feel as though he should pamper me for a little while. Sometimes it's good to have a boyfriend that can do that."

"Tara, you have to tell Buck the truth. You can't keep this up. He's gonna figure out sooner or later that you're not showing any signs of pregnancy. He might be crazy, but he's not dumb."

Tara sighed. "Alright. I'll tell him after the concert."

They all made their way inside the Switchback Theatre. Taking their seats in the front row, Peaches was started to worry about where Julian was. Even though he wouldn't be able to sing, he still wanted to come and support the choir. Shira was wondering where Diego was. He told her that he would already be seated by the time the rest of the herd showed up. Looks like he would be hiding in the restroom again like last time. Typical Diego.

"Has anyone spotted where Julian could be?" Peaches asked.

"I'm sure he's just helping out backstage," Ellie told her daughter.

"Where's Diego?" asked Sid.

"Probably hiding in the restroom again," Shira said.

"Same old Diego. He never had a taste for music."

"Y'all shut up," Gladys said, "It's starting."

The lights were dim in the audience but shined brighter on stage. The audience clapped and cheered as the choir was shown. What surprised the herd was that Julian was up there at the center of the stage in the front row. Manny was standing right next to him. They had no idea what was going on. Shira was still wondering where Diego was.

Keith made his way up to the stage, looking directly at the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen of Switchback Cove, we welcome you to the Mammoth Choir's Concert. Before we begin, I would like to advise you to please not make any noises or scenes during the performance as they are known as a distraction. The choir has been working hard to prepare this show so please show some respect and give them your undivided attention. Enjoy the concert, everyone."

As always, the mammoth choir began the concert with their famous introduction. After that they began the first song. It started with everybody singing the beginning verse. After that it was Julian's turn to do the solo part. Peaches shielded her eyes. She was scared of what would happen next.

When Julian first sang the solo, everyone in the herd knew that it was not his true singing voice. They were shocked with surprise. Even Keith was surprised. Manny had told him earlier that Julian was able to get his voice back, but there were a few minor changes to it. Whatever minor changes had happened, Keith was glad that it was good changes and continued on conducting.

Shira felt the tapping in her paws. She knew it wasn't Julian's voice. That was a voice she was all too familiar with. Diego was standing backstage, singing the solo for Julian as the male mammoth was using his mouth to follow the words. Before she could get control over herself, Shira started dancing. She couldn't help it. The sound of her husband's beautiful singing voice always got her on her feet. She was glad that Keith didn't spot her distracting the crowd. Otherwise she would've been kicked out.

The rest of the concert continued on. This time the herd was actually enjoying the show more than ever before.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

When the show ended, the herd walked over to Manny and Julian to congratulate them on a wonderful show. When Manny explained to Ellie and Peaches what he did for Julian, his daughter kissed him so many times, her lips were almost numb. Everyone stopped talking about it when Keith walked up.

"Julian, I just wanted to come by and tell you that you did a fantastic job out there tonight," Keith said, "Everyone told me that placing you in the choir was the best decision I ever made. Whatever changes happened in your voice, I'm glad it came back. I'm surprised it came as quick as it did." Julian tried to speak, but Keith stopped him. "I know what you're gonna say. That wasn't the singing voice you thought would happen. Don't worry. Your voice will be back to normal soon. I guarantee it. See you and Manny at practice next week. Rest those voices." He started walking away.

"You got it, Keith," Manny said.

"You may be sour at first Manny, but you're sweet at the end," Ellie said, hugging her husband.

Manny hugged his wife back. "Well, that's just me."

Diego smiled, seeing everything was normal again. Shira walked up to him. "Hey, hot stuff. You really did that to help Julian sing with the rest of the choir?"

"I will admit that I felt bad for the kid," Diego said, "I knew Manny would feel ashamed for what he did, so I thought helping him out with Julian would finally show that the spotlight shouldn't always be on him. You just gotta give people a chance."

Shira chuckled. "I knew you were a softie." She walked up and nuzzled Diego. "But you'll always be my softie."

"Sure will, babe." Diego nuzzled her back.

Buck placed an arm around Tara. "Well, looks like things are back to normal, huh?"

"Not quite," Tara said, "I'm sorry to say this Buck, but I'm not pregnant."

"Oh, thank goodness. I am not ready to be a father."

"So you're not mad that I made you think I was pregnant?"

"Don't be silly. I knew you were playing around with me the whole time. I just thought I play around with you, too. I may be crazy, but I'm not gullible."

"You may be crazy, but you're not dumb." Tara pulled Buck into a kiss.

"Gross!" Crash shouted.

"They're kissing," Eddie said in disgust.

"Pals and never gals!" the two possums shouted as they scurried away.

"At this point in their lives I don't think any girls wanna be with them," Diego said.

"I still think that one of these days they're gonna have to find girlfriends to settle down with," Sid said.

"Come on, everyone," Ellie said, "Let's go home."

"Hey, does anyone wanna hear a song?" Manny asked.

"No," the herd said.

"Fine. Your loss."

Manny started singing all the way home. Another day has come and gone for the herd as the night was shining bright. Now everyone was happy.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **HEY, GUYS. IT HAS FELT LIKE FOREVER SINCE I LAST UPDATED. THIS STORY WAS ABOUT 59 AND A QUARTER PAGES LONG. HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.**

 **PLEASE NOTE: THE CHORUS OF Animals BELONGS TO BRUNO MARS. I DON'T OWN THE SONG. ALL THE OTHER SONGS ARE OWNED AND WRITTEN BY ME.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	6. Saber's Family Reunion

**OKAY, GUYS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE WORKED ON THIS SERIES, BUT I'VE BROUGHT UP A NEW EPISODE FOR YOU GUYS.**

 **SHIRA'S FAMILY IS COMING TO VISIT THEIR DAUGHTER AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS. DIEGO DOES HIS BEST TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION IN FRONT OF SHIRA'S FATHER, BUT WHEN HIS MOTHER RETURNS, SHE TRIES TO DO EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO EMBARRASS HIM.**

* * *

S1 E6

SABER'S FAMILY REUNION

Another day has arrived in Switchback Cove. The herd knew it would be a busy day since everyone remembered that they were supposed to help the saber couple get ready for Shira`s family to arrive on the island tomorrow. She hasn't seen her family in fifteen years and was ready for them all to get together again. She was hoping that they would be okay with the herd, but she was mainly hoping that her parents would approve Diego even though she's already married to him. She knew her mother would love Diego, but her father was a different story. Shira was just hoping that everything would turn out normal.

At that moment the female saber was pacing. Ellie was trying to calm her friend down. "Shira, it's okay. I know you're nervous, but I'm sure your family won't think of you any differently. I'm pretty sure they know that you've gotten yourself into a lot of things."

"I know," Shira said, "It's just that I haven't seen them all in fifteen years. I'm pretty sure all my siblings are married and have kids of their own. And what about me?"

"Well, your married, too. They can't say anything against that."

"My father can. When it comes to his daughters dating boys in the family, he doesn't like them."

"I'm pretty sure he'll like Diego."

"Not the first moment he meets him." Shira sighed. "My whole family has lived a normal life and I ended up going into the route of piracy."

"Shira, in this herd, nobody's normal. I'm sure in every family, there's at least one sibling that takes a different route. You just happened to be the one."

"I guess you're right. By the way, can you come over and help me with the cave cleaning?"

"Sure. Anything to help out."

"I really can't wait to see my family, though. I'm pretty sure there's a lot I've missed out on. You see, before I left, my sister Mara had this huge crush on some saber from a different clan. I can't remember what his name was, though, but I do remember that he was shy. Anyway, he didn't start having feelings for Mara until I found out that he liked me. I didn't really like him back, though. I mean he was a nice guy and all, but he wasn't my type. He was a little thinner and smaller than most sabers, but Mara was the shy one in the family so I was waiting for those two to get together."

"So basically you were trying to help your sister out?"

"Exactly. Those two were made for each other. Still, though. I'm scared of what my dad will do to Diego once he finds out that we're married."

"What could he possibly do?"

"Kill him until he's nothing but bones."

Ellie's eyes widened. "That's not something I was hoping to hear."

"Some days I think my dad's done some time in the saber pit."

"The saber pit?"

"Kind of like jail. Only sabers are more aggressive."

"He never...you know..." Ellie couldn't put it in words.

Shira gasped. "No. Never. He loves all of us and wouldn't do anything like that. He's aggressive when being a saber, but he's soft-hearted when he's a father. And that's every time he's around the family."

"How do you know he's not gonna accept Diego into the family?"

"I just have that feeling."

"Just wait until they get here. You'll see. Things will work out. Now let's go and get that cave of yours fixed up."

The two female friends made their way over to the sabers' cave. Now we know that Shira's freaking out. What about Diego? How is he handling this?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

"I am terrified!" Diego said, "I'm terrified to meet Shira's family. Especially her father."

"I'm sure he's a nice guy," Sid said.

"He'll be nice to Shira, but he won't be nice to me."

"How do you know?" Manny asked. They had been busy decorating the party lot when Diego started going nuts. Manny and Sid were doing everything they could to calm him down, but to no avail. He just couldn't stop worrying.

"How do I know?" Diego said, "Shira`s told me about him. How he did some time in the saber pit. How he hates any guys that date his daughters. Shira and I are married. How's he going to take that?"

"You know what I do when I'm nervous about something?" Sid said.

"What?"

"I take a nap and then two hours later, I forget about it."

Manny slapped Sid on the back of the head. "That only works for a sloth, Sid."

"I wished it worked on sabers, too," Diego said, "What am I gonna do?"

"The only thing you're trying to do is wanna get along with him," Manny said, "You need to do your best to impress him. That's what I would do if I had a father-in-law and thank goodness I don't."

"You see? This is the reason why I didn't ask either of you to help me. Neither of you know what I'm about to go through."

"Well it's not our fault," Sid said.

Diego sighed. "I'm gonna head home. See you tomorrow." He started walking away, hoping that tomorrow wouldn't come. If it did, he wouldn't survive it.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That night Diego and Shira were trying to relax for the night since tomorrow would be a hectic day. Shira had a big family. Some sabers did. It wasn't that Shira was nervous about seeing her whole family again. She was excited about that part of it. She was just nervous about what they would think of Diego. Her mother would probably love him like a son. All mothers were like that about the boys their daughters date. She was worried about what her father would think of her husband. He was one of those overprotective fathers that young guys had to worry about. She couldn't get images out of her head about what exactly her father would do with Diego once he finds out that she was married.

Diego saw that Shira was lost in thought. He pulled the curtain down on the show hole and looked at his wife. "A penny for your thoughts?"

"What?" Shira asked.

"What's on your mind?"

"Oh, nothing much. The usual."

"Shira."

Shira sighed. "Alright. I'm nervous about tomorrow. I'm scared about what my father's gonna do."

"That's what's gotten you eat up?"

Shira nodded. "Yes."

Diego gave it some thought. He was nervous about what Shira`s father might do to him, too, but he hated to see his own wife worry like this. He placed a reassuring paw on her shoulder. "Hey, come on. I'm sure he won't be too mad about this. Well, he'll probably be mad, but not furious. He won't like me at first, but I'm sure if we get to know each other some, he might look up to me a little."

"Diego, it takes a lot to convince him."

"Well the only thing I can do is to do my best. I promise not to let you down."

Shira smiled. "You know how much I love you, right?"

"Do you love me so much that you wanna have snuggle time?"

Shira growled flirtatiously. "You read my mind."

Both sabers pulled down the leaf shade to the front entrance of the cave and started making their way into the bedroom. Shira had faith that Diego will make a good impression in front of her family. Diego kept his claws crossed that things would go the way he planned.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day was a big one for Shira and Diego. Even though it was only her family she was seeing again after fifteen years, Shira wanted to look presentable. Her face was colored with make-up, she wore a rose behind her right ear and the ear that was pierced didn't have a single shell earring in it. She removed them so her parents wouldn't know she was a pirate, which was the only secret she had. That's the big reason she wasn't looking forward to seeing her family again.

Diego mainly looked presentable by wearing a leaf bow tie. Even the top part of his fur on his head was slicked back to make him look like a gentleman. Even though it was cold outside, Diego was sweating. Not just because of his nerves, but his bow tie was uncomfortable.

Shira saw the sweat glistening on her husband's forehead. "Are you nervous or is it just the bow tie?"

"Mainly both," Diego said.

"You wanna take the bow tie off to lessen the tension?"

"Nah, I'll be fine."

At that moment a large iceberg float docked at Switchback Harbor. A hyrax blew into a cornucopia, letting the passengers know that they've arrived at their destination. The entire float was filled with sabers young and old. Lots of them. Diego had a feeling that Shira had a big family. He never expected her family to be this big.

First to hop off the ice float was an older male and female saber. The male saber was a dark gray color with a light gray underbelly. His left fang was actually chipped off while his right eye had a scar. He also had scars around his body that looked like he ended up getting them from previous battles. There was no doubt that this was Shira's father.

The female saber was a snow white saber with stripes on her back. She had a beautiful set of aqua teal eyes that looked just like Shira's. Diego could tell that she was his mother-in-law.

They both walked up to Shira as the silver gray striped saber smiled. "It's been so long."

"It has, hasn't it?" the older female saber said as she nuzzled her daughter, "I'm just so glad we could see each other again."

"I feel the same way, Mama." Shira walked over to her father. "I'm so glad to see you too, Daddy." She nuzzled her father.

"As am I, sweetheart." The male saber took a moment to look at Diego and growled. "Who is that?" Shira's father pointed at the orange saber.

Shira knew she had to tell her parents about Diego. They would figure it out sooner or later. Shira took a deep breath, not excited about where all this was about to go next. "Mama, Daddy. Everyone. I'd like for you all to meet Diego. He's my...husband." Shira's father looked like his eyes might pop out of their sockets. Shira chuckled nervously. "Uh, Diego, these are my parents. This is my father, Alejandro, and my mother, Selma."

"Good to meet you both," Diego said, extending out his paw to shake theirs.

Selma didn't hesitate and shook paws with him. "It's so wonderful to meet you."

Alejandro didn't have gentle paws when it came to being a saber and grasped Diego's paw, crushing it as he shook it. "Good to meet you, Diego."

Diego looked at his paw and shook off the pain, staring at his father-in-law. "You, too, sir."

"How long have you two been married, Shira?" Selma asked.

"About three years now," Shira said.

"Three years?" Alejandro asked.

"Yeah. I've been pretty busy. But I'm really glad that we're all together. Why don't you all follow me and Diego to the party lot."

"Party lot?" Selma asked.

"It's where we host big parties at," Shira said, "Since there's a lot of us, we'll need it. Come on, everyone."

Shira and Diego led the sabers to the party lot. Alejandro didn't take his eyes off Diego for a second. He had no intentions in trusting the saber to marry his daughter. Especially without his permission and didn't even ask him for her paw in marriage. Diego knew that a first impression didn't work like he planned, but he was gonna keep trying. Let's hope he doesn't give up.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Once they all got to the party lot and were getting settled, Shira took Diego around to introduce her entire family to him.

There was Shira's parents. Selma soon fell in love with Diego and treated him as if he were her son. Alejandro just kept giving him looks that said, "I don't trust you."

Shira then introduced Diego to her seven brothers and sisters. She had two older brothers named Ricardo and Maco. Ricardo was the oldest of the family. He was married and had five cubs of his own. Maco was a widower and a single father. He lost his wife in a hunting accident and had to raise his twin daughters on his own. Diego had pity on Maco. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Shira.

Then there was Shira's five sisters: Mara, Rosita, Maria, Paula and Stella. Rosita is second oldest of the family. She's married and has four boys. Maria is third oldest and has a daughter. Her husband left her to be with a different pack since he couldn't stand the fact that her father hated him. Diego made a silent promise that he would never do that to Shira no matter how much his father-in-law hated him.

Mara, Paula and Stella were all married, but Mara was the only one that didn't have kids yet. Paula had two sons and a daughter while Stella had a son. Mara did indeed marry the shy saber that had a crush on Shira long before she got together with him. Shira finally remembered that his name was Alonso. He and Mara had just got married a couple of months ago.

It turns out that Shira was born in the litter with Maco. It first started out with Ricardo, Rosita and Maria, then Maco and Shira, and then came Paula, Stella and Mara. Diego couldn't believe that Shira had this many siblings. He didn't have much of a family at all before he joined the pack. His father left one day and never came back. He knew his mother and sister were still out there somewhere, but after he left to join Soto and his pack, he hasn't seen them since.

After Shira introduced her husband to the immediate family, she took him around to meet the relatives.

First came Shira's grandmother, her father's mother. Her name was Sonja. She was technically known as the head of the family. Her husband passed away ten years ago. Shira felt horrible that she couldn't be there for her grandmother's time of need. Sonja told her granddaughter that she found a handsome saber and told her to never let him go.

The rest of the family consisted of Shira's aunts, uncles, cousins, great-uncles and great-aunts. She had an aunt and uncle on her father's side since Alejandro had a sister and brother-in-law. Selma had two sisters and a brother. Only one of her sisters were married, though. She only had a total of ten cousins from both sides of the family. Then there was a great-uncle who was married on her father's side and two great-aunts on her mother's side. One of the great-aunts was married. All in all, Shira had a large family. That was the reason why they wanted to use the party lot. Shira's family counted as a huge party.

After being introduced to the whole family, Diego sat down to take a good long break. A hyrax came by and offered him some water. Diego took it without hesitation and slurped it down. Every now and then he would spot Alejandro staring at him with anger in his eyes. It wasn't too long before Shira came by and gave her husband some lunch.

"Here you go, honey," Shira said, handing her husband some trout, "Better eat some fish while you still can. We're already low on it."

"Thanks, babe," Diego said, not taking his eyes off Alejandro.

Shira saw what he was doing. "Diego, my father has one saying. If looks could kill, you'd be dead."

"I bet he can't wait to kill me."

"He's not gonna do anything to you. Not as long as your around me."

"How does he react when you girls tell him that you met a guy?"

"Well, it started out with Rosita. She met Nate when they were teenagers. Mama was teaching her how to hunt one day and they were actually going for the same antelope. Mama hid behind some bushes while Rosita and Nate talked and decided to hang out the next night. Then Nate met Daddy. This was the first time he ever had to start worrying about his daughters going out with some guy. For the first few months, Daddy literally hated Nate, but Mama thought that a dinner date would have Daddy look up to Nate a little."

"So what happened? Did your dad maul him to death?"

"No. They talked and by the end of the night, Daddy decided to give Nate a chance. And I'm sure he's gonna do the same thing for you."

"I don't know, babe."

"Just wait until dinner tonight. We'll all get together and you can talk to him then. Okay?"

Diego smiled at Shira. "Okay, babe. I'll give it a go."

"That's my big, strong saber." Shira cuddled up next to her husband, happy to see that he would give her father a chance.

Diego continued keeping his claws crossed that things would work out the way he hopes.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That night all the sabers got together at Shira and Diego's place for dinner. Since the family would be staying for a few days, Shira was able to get all the spare cave rooms together for everyone to sleep in them. The stone table was filled with all kinds of fish and meat. There was even fruit, even though Diego and Shira would be the only ones eating it. Shira's parents were actually confused as to why they were eating produce, but their daughter told them she would explain later.

Alejandro continued staring at Diego. He worried that taking his eyes off the orange saber would result in him doing something to break Shira's heart. What he doesn't know is that Diego vowed to never let that happen. He would stand tall when things go wrong with his marriage. Shira was the center of his universe. Without her, the world would fall apart and Diego couldn't let that happen.

Diego was stuck sitting next to his father-in-law. Shira figured that would help the both of them get to talking and forming a bit of a father and son bond. She was over at the other side of the table talking to her mother and trying to catch up on everything that's happened since she left. Diego wasn't sure what to talk to Alejandro about. He was at a loss for words. Well that wasn't entirely true. He had a lot he wanted to say, but he thought that saying something would result in him getting a beat down. But he decided to give it a try. Sitting in silence wasn't the best impression when meeting his own wife's family.

Diego cleared his throat. "So...we've had some pretty good weather for a while, huh? Better than what we've had before."

Alejandro kept his stern glare, but nodded. "Yes. That is true."

"Shira tells me that you enjoy playing sports. What kind of sports are you into?"

"There's a few. Coconut ball, hockey, darts. I'm more into wrestling, though."

"Well, I'm more into watching coconut ball and bird fights. I play hockey every now and then."

"You have friends?"

"Yeah, I got a few friends. Would you like to meet them?"

Alejandro shrugged. "Sure, why not? We could play a few rounds of hockey together."

Diego smiled. "How does tomorrow afternoon sound?"

"Sounds good."

The two began having a conversation about coconut ball at that point. Shira smiled seeing her husband and father getting along. Hopefully things might work out for the better. And let's quote "might."

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day came along. A sunny morning it was. For once, Diego was actually looking forward to today. Alejandro actually looked up to him. Just a little. He woke up a happy saber as he walked outside to grab the Morning Leaf. But what he saw was somebody bringing the leaf to him. And it was somebody he never thought he would see again. Well, he had hoped to never see them again.

"Mom?!" Diego screamed.

"Diego!" the female saber exclaimed, "Oh, I'm so glad to see my baby boy again!" She started embracing Diego tight, literally crushing him.

"Choking, not breathing!" Diego finally wiggled out of the female saber that was known as his mother's bone breaking embrace. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Everywhere?"

"Yeah. I heard about some horrible things that happened to you in that pack you were in and I started searching for you. Now it's over because I finally found you and I'll make sure nothing ever happens to you again."

"Mom, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a grown saber. I can take care of myself. Shouldn't you be worried about Donna?"

"Well, Donna was helping me to try and find you, but she met up with this saber guy and decided to stay with him. So I've spent the last few years looking for you and all that searching finally paid off."

"Diego?" Coming out of the cave was Shira with a bewildered look on her face. "Who is this?"

"Who is she, Diego?" Diego's mother asked.

"Uh...Shira," Diego said, "This is my mother, Peggy. Mom, this is my wife, Shira."

Peggy gasped. "Diego! Why didn't you tell me you were married to a beautiful sabress?"

"That's because you didn't meet her until now."

"Well if we were in a pack with a bunch of other sabers and she was a part of it, she would be the most prettiest out of them all."

"Well, thank you," Shira said blushing.

At that moment Shira's family were all up and well rested. Peggy walked over to the cave. "Oh, do you have company inside? It's a little too early to throw a party, isn't it?"

"Actually, that's my side of the family. We're having a family reunion after fifteen years."

"Oh, how wonderful! Do you mind if I can go inside and meet them?"

"That would be wonderful."

"That's not necessary," Diego said.

"Yes, it is," Shira told her husband, "I think it would be great if both sides of the family came together."

"Oh, if only my daughter had stuck around," Peggy said, "She loves meeting new mammals."

"Not as long as I've known Donna," Diego said.

"Who?" Shira asked.

"My twin sister."

Shira rolled her eyes. "Come on inside, Peggy. I can't wait for you to meet my family."

Diego forced himself to enter the cave, but he quickly regretted it when his mother started greeting herself to everyone.

"Hello, everyone," Peggy said, "It's so wonderful to meet all of you. I'm Diego's mother, Peggy."

"Did Diego invite you here?" Selma asked, "We all got together yesterday."

"Oh, I didn't know I was invited. I didn't get to the island until later on in the evening and spent the night in a cave motel. Those cute little furry creatures are so kind to welcome newcomers and make them feel at home."

"So Diego didn't invite you?" Alejandro asked.

"Well, I have been searching for him for ten years now," Peggy said, "After I heard about some awful things happening in his pack, I went out to find him."

Alejandro glared at Diego. "You were in a pack?"

"I used to be, but I traded that for a better life," Diego said, "Uh, Mother, can I talk to you for just a second?"

"Of course you can, my little kitty baby," Peggy said, pinching her son's cheeks.

Diego saw some of the little saber cubs giggling. "Mom, not in front of my wife's family."

"Oh, sorry." Peggy looked at everyone. "We'll be just a moment."

Diego took his mother into the kitchen. "Mom, how were you able to find me here?"

"Well when I got here on the island, I saw a whole bunch of animals here. I actually bumped into this sloth guy and girl and they told me that you were one of their best friends and told me where to find you."

"What did the sloths look like?" Diego knew who his mother was talking about, but he wanted her to tell him who she asked.

"Well, the sloth guy smelled like he hadn't showered in twenty years and the sloth girl smelled like lavenders. Do they sound familiar to you, honey?"

Diego paw slapped himself in the face. Sometimes Sid and Brooke are a little too nice. "Well, thanks for telling me that."

"You know, Diego, I was thinking that you and I could spend some time together for the day."

"Actually, Mom, I've already got plans to bond with Shira's dad this afternoon. Let me ask Shira if she wouldn't mind giving you a tour of Switchback Cove."

"Oh, that would be wonderful!"

So Diego led his mother back into the dining room where Shira's family was eating breakfast. Shira had already planned to take her mother and sisters out on a tour and happily invited Peggy along. Diego was happy that his mother would be out of his fur for a while. He really had hoped she would never find him. But he was never that lucky.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That afternoon, Diego and Alejandro were heading over to the ice rink to play hockey with the guys. Throughout the whole walk, both sabers were silent. Now that Alejandro found out about Diego once being part of a pack, his rage and suspicions were rising. Diego figured that a good game of hockey would cool him down.

Diego was relieved to see his friends on the ice and already playing a round of hockey. He slid out onto the ice with Alejandro trailing behind. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey, there you are, Diego!" Manny said, "We were just about to start a new round."

"Who's the old guy?" Sid asked, pointing at Alejandro.

"Oh, yes." Diego cleared his throat. "Guys, this is Alejandro, Shira's father. Alejandro, this is Manny, Sid, Buck, Julian, Crash and Eddie."

"Don't forget about us!" Roger shouted, pointing to himself and his dad, Gavin.

"Oh, and that's Roger and his dad, Gavin. They're dino birds from the dinosaur world underground."

"Dinosaur world underground?" Alejandro became confused.

Diego chuckled nervously. "I'll explain later."

"Don't mind us," Gavin said, "We don't know how to play ice hockey, but we do know how to keep score."

"Sounds great," Diego said, turning to look at his father-in-law, "Ready to play some hockey?"

"I was born ready," Alejandro said while making his way to the center of the ice.

Manny skated over to Diego. "He's a lot tougher than I imagined."

"Yeah, well he did some time in the saber pit," Diego said.

"I thought Shira was making that up."

"No, she wasn't."

"What did he do?"

"Killed a saber that hurt his girlfriend who turned out to be Shira's mother and his wife."

"Well there was no reason to be thrown in the saber pit. He was just rescuing the love of his life."

"That's what he told me, but nobody listened to him."

Sid raced over to his friends. "Manny, I forgot to tell you something important."

"What is it, Sid?" Manny asked.

"Oh, no," Diego said, his nerves rising sky high.

"Brooke and I bumped into Diego's long lost mother," Sid explained, "She told me and Brooke that she's been searching for her sweet and huggable baby cub for years. Luckily, I told her that we were some of his best friends and gave her directions to his place."

"Are you serious?" Manny was eager to know more.

"No, he's not. You know how Sid is. He's always making stuff up." Diego did his best to keep the secret hidden.

"What's her name, Sid?" Manny asked Sid, "You remember that her name is-"

"Peggy!" Sid exclaimed.

"That's not her name!" Diego lied.

"Yes, it is," Manny said, "You've told me her name a hundred times."

"Look, can we just play hockey and not bring up the subject about my mother again?" Diego skated over to the center.

"Jeez, what's his problem?" Sid asked Manny.

Manny shook his head. "You can never tell with Diego." He and Sid skated over to the others. "Okay, Diego, I chose first for my team last time so you're next."

"Okay," Diego said, "Alejandro, sir, I would like for you to be a part of my team." Alejandro nodded.

"Julian, you're on my team," Manny said.

"Alright!" Julian exclaimed, "Woo! Hanging with my Bro-Dad!"

Alejandro looked confused. "Bro-Dad?"

"Uh, Julian is Manny's son-in-law," Diego said.

Alejandro nods. "I see."

Diego looks at the remaining four players. "I choose Buck."

"Right you are, lad," Buck said, extending a paw out to shake Alejandro's, "The name's Buck, sir. Short for Buckminster and long for Buh."

Alejandro shook the weasel's paw. "It is good to meet you, Buck." He leans over to Diego. "I will admit that your friends are a little strange."

"Yeah, but that's what makes us a good herd," Diego said.

Alejandro nods. "True."

"Okay, my turn," Manny said."

"Pick me! Pick me!" Crash and Eddie shouted, raising their hockey sticks in the air.

"I pick Sid."

"Yes!" Sid exclaimed, "Finally! I have a spot on the team!"

"Aw, man!" Crash said.

"No fair!" Eddie complained, throwing his hockey stick down.

"You guys can play next time," Manny said, "Which teams do you wanna be goalies for?"

"Your team!" Crash and Eddie shouted. They stared at each other in anger. "No way! I wanna be on Manny's team!" They pounced on top of one another.

"Guys, stop fighting!" Manny shouted.

"I wanna be the goalie for Manny's team!"" Crash yelled out, "I'm his brother-in-law!"

"I'm his brother-in-law, too!" Eddie started knocking Crash in the head with his hockey stick.

Alejandro growled. "Stop fighting! Both of you!"

The possum brothers screamed and jumped up on their feet, slipping on the ice in the process. Crash chuckled nervously. "I did nothing wrong."

"You are both to blame." Alejandro placed them both back on their feet. "Brothers should not fight. You both need to start respecting each other more."

"Who are you? Our father?" Eddie asked rhetorically, but regretted it when Alejandro smacked him upside the head.

"No, but I have learned a lot in the saber pit to know that brothers should never fight. Keep that in mind." Alejandro picked up his hockey stick. "Now choose a goal."

Crash sighed. "Diego."

"Manny," Eddie said.

Alejandro nods. "Now we can play hockey."

Diego follows after his father-in-law. "How were you able to do that? None of us have ever been able to stop them from fighting."

Alejandro sighs. "It is not important. Let's just win ourselves a hockey game."

This confused Diego some, but he didn't worry about it. Gavin flew by and started off the game. Manny and Diego took their positions on the ice. Both their hockey sticks stood on each side of the rock puck, ready to be hit.

"Ready...set...go!" Gavin shouted.

The hockey game began. Diego took the puck first and passed it to Alejandro who passed it to Buck. The weasel made haste and kept going through the mammoths from underneath. Sid was easy to pass. He got distracted by a lily pad being trapped under the icy waters.

"That poor little lily pad," Sid said.

"Sid, block Buck!" Julian shouted.

"Uh, oh!" Sid sprang into action. He used his ice skating skills to distract Buck and sneak the puck away.

Buck gasped. "No fair! He distracted me!"

"Sid, I'm opened!" Manny shouted.

"Here you go!" Sid smacked the puck towards Manny, but before the mammoth could retrieve it, Alejandro flew up and got it. Sid's mouth opened wide. "How did that happen?"

Alejandro was only halfway to the goal. He heard Diego shouting out to him. "Alejandro, pass it over here!"

Nodding, Alejandro sent the puck to his son-in-law. "Score a goal!"

Diego claimed the puck as his. He led it to the goal where Eddie was guarding. "Time to fly!"

"Eddie, block the puck! Block the puck!" Manny shouted.

Eddie looked up. "What did you say?" It was too late. The puck went passed Eddie and landed in the goal.

"Goal!" Gavin shouted out.

"Point for Diego's team!" Roger said, drawing a tally under a drawing of Diego.

"Alright!" Diego exclaimed.

Alejandro slapped Diego on the back. "Good play, my boy! You are a lot better at hockey than I thought!"

Diego smiled. "Thanks!"

They both heard cheering from the sidelines. Standing over there was Patty, Shira, Selma and all Shira's sisters. And Patty was cheering louder than all of them combined. "Whoo-hoo! That's my baby cub! Show them what you got! Kick that big fat mammoth's butt!"

"I'm not fat!" Manny yelled.

"Oh, no," Diego groaned.

"Hey, Diego, it's your mom!" Sid pointed out.

"That's wonderful." Diego skated over to the female sabers. "I thought you all were touring around the island."

"We thought we'd take a break and watch you guys play a few rounds," Shira said.

"And I just wanted to make sure Alejandro wasn't being too rough," Selma said.

"Nah, he's being careful," Diego said, "He's having the time of his life. No need to worry. Now you all go back and do some sightseeing."

"Diego, do not shoo the ladies away," Alejandro said, skating up to everyone, "If they wish to stay, then let them stay. Think of them as our cheerleaders."

"Oooh, Alejandro!" Selma fanned herself. "I haven't done that for you in years!"

"I think this is the first time in years that Daddy's actually been himself," Shira said.

"That is true," Alejandro admitted.

"Now go out there and show them what you're made of," Patty said to her son, "Use what your mama gave you."

Diego chuckled nervously. "I will, Mom." He and Alejandro skated back to the others. "Okay, guys. Let's go for the next play."

"In position, everyone!" Manny said.

Everyone skated back to the center. Manny and Diego prepared for the next play and Gavin gave the word. "Ready...set...go!"

Another battle for the puck began. This time Manny stole the puck and took off with it. He passed it on to Julian. The young mammoth didn't get to it in time and it went right pass him. The puck scooted itself over to Sid.

"Sid, retrieve the puck!" Julian shouted.

Sid was paying full attention this time. "I got this, you guys!" But when Sid tried to hit the puck, he swung the hockey stick too high and sent it flying through the air. "Uh, oh!" It started falling back towards the ice, but now it headed straight for Diego. "Diego, watch out!"

"Watch out for what?" Diego asked, but it was too late. The male saber got knocked in the head by the flying hockey stick. He fell to the ground. The sabresses gasped.

"Ay!" Alejandro yelled out.

"Oh, that's gotta hurt!" Manny skated over to Diego while calling, "Time out, everyone!"

Sid was the first to make it to Diego. "Oh, Diego, old pal! I'm so sorry, buddy! I was trying to hit the puck and the hockey stick flew out of my paws! I'm really sorry about this!"

"Diego, you okay?" Julian asked.

Diego was still looking at everything weirdly. "I'm seeing double. No, triple."

Alejandro stuck two clawed fingers in front of Diego. "How many claws do you see?"

Diego looked closely, but he saw too many claws. "Six? Four? Maybe six?"

Alejandro sighed. "Looks like he's got a concussion."

"Diego!" Everyone looked to see Patty skating over. "Hold on, my little kitty baby! Mama's coming!" She ended her routine with a twirl. "So glad I took those ice skating lessons."

"Mom, is that you?" Diego asked. He tried standing up on his own, but he ended up slipping.

"It sure is." Patty checked her son's forehead. "Don't you worry. Mama's here for her poor little baby cub. Now where's that boo boo?"

Crash and Eddie started laughing. Diego groaned. "Mom, you're embarrassing me."

"Oh, that's just the boo boo taking. Come on, sweetie." Patty helped her son to his feet and got him safely across the ice.

Alejandro looked at his son-in-laws friends. "We can play hockey another time. It was wonderful to meet you all." He skates after Diego and Patty.

Manny gathers up the hockey sticks. "Okay, everyone, let's clear off the ice."

"Aw, man," Roger said, "No more score keeping."

"Come on, son," Gavin said, "Let's go find your sister. She's probably over at the lake again." He flys up to the sky.

"And probably eating the entire population of fish." Roger follows his father.

And thus ends another day of hockey. Except in a more painful way than expected.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Diego was bedridden for the rest of the day with a mild concussion. By nightfall his sight was no longer seeing things blurry, but he still had a pounding headache that could takes days to clear up and go away. The throbbing pain was already annoying him.

"I am literally going to kill Sid," Diego growled.

Shira placed an ice cloth pack on Diego's forehead. "You're not gonna kill Sid for something that was out of his control. He didn't mean for his hockey stick to fly up and land on your head."

"No, but it was his fault that my mother found me."

"Would you stop it? There is nothing wrong with your mother. She's the sweetest person I've ever met that's actually just a little sweeter than Ellie. But don't tell Ellie I said that."

"I probably won't remember you said that."

"What problem do you have with your mother?"

"I don't have a problem with my mother besides the fact that she's annoying. A crazy sabress that doesn't know how to leave anyone alone. It's probably a miracle that Donna ran off with a new mate to get away from Mom. I don't blame her."

"So what? Do you want your mother out of your life?"

"No, I just want her to leave me alone. I figured that's the reason you left your family."

"No!" Shira sighs. "I did something so horrible that I couldn't even bear to live with it. Force made me leave my family. I gave myself no choice."

"What are you talking about?"

Shira shook her head. "Forget it. You won't remember it, anyway."

"Shira, come on."

"No, let's just go to bed." Shira covers up the firefly lanterns.

"How can I go to sleep when something's eating you inside?"

"Goodnight, Diego." Shira curls up and quickly falls asleep.

Diego sighed as he set the ice pack aside. "Goodnight, Shira." He snuggled up next to his wife and fell asleep.

Diego knew something was bothering his wife. He would figure it out. And it would come much sooner than he thought.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The sun rose early the next day. Shira's family would only be staying at the cave for a couple of more days before they were to head over to the mountains to start a new life. The smell of breakfast in the kitchen wafted through the whole cave, leading Diego to the familiar scent. It was only familiar because the one cooking was his mother.

Diego groaned. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Is that any way to treat your mother in the morning?" Patty asked her son.

Diego rolled his eyes. "Good morning. Now there's something we need to talk about."

"How does your head feel, son? Is the boo boo still hurting?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Listen, I need to talk to you. It's important."

"Can't it wait? Breakfast is almost ready. Can you help me set the table?" Patty handed Diego a bunch of leaves that were shaped as napkins. "Make sure the children get two. You know how messy they can get. I remember all the times when you always had a mess covering your whole body. I had so much fun giving you and Donna a bath."

"Mom, please."

"Now, Diego, we don't have all morning. There's too much to do."

Diego sighed. "Fine, but we need to talk later."

Diego was glad to have left the room. When he walked into the dining room, he saw the table was full of food. He had a feeling his mother was up all night cooking one meal for a whole bunch of sabers. Sighing, he set the napkins on the table and by the time he was done, Shira had walked inside the room.

Shira was surprised to see so much food on the table. "Uh, Diego, did you prepare all this?"

"Nope," Diego said.

"Then who did?"

Patty walked inside the dining room with a large wooden pot. "Good morning, Shira. Hope you don't mind, but I made breakfast." She rolled the pot to the table.

"That's nice of you, but you didn't have to," Shira said.

"Oh, nonsense," Patty said, "It's the least I could do. I am family, after all."

"Yes, you are." Shira nudged her husband. "Isn't that right, Diego?"

Diego sighed. "Yes. You've always been part of the family, Mom."

"You both are so sweet," Patty said, "So what's on the agenda today?"

"We're actually going to be doing some family games today at the party lot," Shira said, "My family's always been known for our wonderful game playing."

"Sounds like fun. We better get some breakfast in everyone." Patty started banging on some ice with a wooden spoon. "Wake up, everyone! Breakfast time! Come and get some egg soup and roasted hog!"

"I could go for some hog." Shira sat down at the table.

Diego sighed and did the same. Even though he couldn't stand his mother, he will admit that he couldn't resist her cooking. He grew up eating it, after all. The rest of the guests came in and started chowing down on the meal while thanking Patty for her wonderful culinary skills.

And Diego was glad for this moment of peace. He hopes it won't be the only moment, but he wasn't always right.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That afternoon, the sabers were all gathered at the party lot where a ton of games were set up all over the place. The little saber cubs were playing games such as tug-of-war and snowball fights while the adults played bowling and wrestling. Well, the girls were bowling and keeping an eye on the kids while the men were wrestling. Right now both of Alejandro's boys were wrestling in what they refer to as the saber pit. It was a good thing that it was nothing like prison. It was only for exercise and they had to keep it appropriate around the children.

Ricardo and Maco were both tired, but they both continued to wrestle. Ricardo had the upper hand as he pinned his younger brother to the ground and kept him there until Alejandro called out, "Ricardo wins!"

Ricardo roared in victory. "Nice fight, little bro."

"Anytime," Maco said, "Now get off of me."

"Oh, sorry." Ricardo unpinned his brother off the ground and they both left the pit.

"Who's next?" Diego asked.

"You and I shall wrestle," Alejandro said, jumping into the pit.

"Oh, man," Maco said as he and Ricardo walked over to Diego, "It's the final test."

"Final test?" Diego asked, bewildered.

Ricardo sighed. "Every new son-in-law has to face our dad in the saber pit to prove they're worthy to be married to our sisters. He just did it with Alonso a couple of months back, so he's not rusty."

"When is Dad never rusty?" Maco told his brother.

Diego shook his head. "I was not warned about this."

"All I can say is good luck." Ricardo patted Diego's shoulder. "Now go out there and give us all a good fight."

"You got it." Diego climbed down into the saber pit. He placed his eyes on his father-in-law. "I'm ready when you are, sir."

"Just a moment." Alejandro cleared his throat and roared loudly for the entire party lot full of sabers to hear. Soon the sabresses and little cubs started gathering around. The old saber scratched his claws on the rock. "This is a fight worth watching."

"Daddy, what are you doing?" Shira asked.

"Oh, no!" Selma groaned, "I forgot to warn you about this."

"About what?" Shira started worrying.

Selma sighed. "Your father fights all the son-in-laws of the family to make them prove to him that they're right to be in the family."

"What?!" Shira shouted. She looked down in the saber pit. "Daddy, don't do this!"

"Wait," Patty said, "Does that mean Diego will get hurt?"

"Well, in a way, he will," Selma said.

Patty gasped as her face turned red. She suddenly yelled out, "Hold it!" She jumped into the saber pit and stormed over to Alejandro. "Listen, buddy, I don't blame you for letting my son play a dangerous hockey game and I don't get angry at you for giving him glares every now and then, but trying to get him killed is where I draw the line!"

"Mom..." Diego said, but Patty held her paw up at him.

"Just a second, sweetheart." Patty continued her rambling at Alejandro. "I am not gonna stand here and watch my baby get hurt by your monstrous claws! And just look around you! Do you think anyone here wants to see you maul my baby cub to death?"

"Mom..." Diego actually started growling a bit.

But Patty didn't hesitate a moment. "Just think of the children that are about to watch something like this! And think about your daughter! Do you want her to be without a husband? I think you're nothing but a heartless, hideous old man who kills for fun and thinks of nobody else but himself!"

"That's enough!" Diego roars.

Patty turned around. "Diego, what is it? I'm trying to stand up for you against this monster!"

"He's not the monster around here! The only monster here is you!" Everyone gasped as Diego continued. "You have done nothing but annoying me and embarrass me and have acted like a crazy old hag around me! I'm done! I've had it! I wish you would just leave me alone, get out of my life and never come back!"

Patty couldn't believe the hurtful words that came out of her son's mouth. Tears streamed down her eyes as she climbed out of the saber pit. She ran off back to the cave to have a moment to take in what was just said to her.

Diego sighed in relief. He finally got it out of his system and felt better. But he forgot everyone was watching the entire ordeal. They all started piling out and went back to what they were doing before. Even the male sabers left to go do their own things. Alejandro climbed out of the saber pit and slapped some snow in Diego's face.

Diego looked up at his wife. Shira jumped in and glared daggers at her husband. "I tell you something and you never listen. I guess you were glad to have that concussion yesterday. We're gonna have a very long talk tonight." She turned around and climbed out of the saber pit.

"Shira, wait!" Diego called out for her, but she kept walking away and started making her way back to the cave. "Shira!" It was no use. She was pretending not to hear him as she continued on to home.

Diego climbed out of the cave and walked out of the party lot. He decided to take the long way home so he could take some time to think.

He blew it all out the door. No chance Alejandro will trust him after this. He knew a mistake like this couldn't be fixed. Or could it?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

It was around sunset when Diego finally made it back to the cave. It was quiet inside. It hadn't been this quiet in the last two days. He walked inside his and Shira's room where he saw his wife reading one of her picture novels. She didn't acknowledge him when he walked inside.

Diego sighed. "Where is she?"

"Why do you care?" Shira asked, "Do you miss her? I figured after everything you said to her, you wouldn't care if she were dead."

"Can you just tell me where she went?" Diego was literally on the verge of a breaking point.

Shira sighed and set her novel down beside her. "She's staying at an inn for the night and she'll be leaving Switchback Cove tomorrow. That way you'll never have to worry about her again."

Diego flopped down on the bed. "Good riddance."

Shira stood up. "I can't believe you would say something like that about the woman that went through nine hours of intense labor pain to bring you into this world."

"She did it with Donna, too."

"I bet your sister gave your mother a lot more respect than you did."

"Excuse me! I gave my mother plenty of respect growing up!"

"You don't seem to give her that now!"

"That's because I didn't find out what a complete crazy old hag she was until my teenage years. Always embarrassing me and causing me to have no friends in life."

"Mothers always embarrass their kids. My mother used to do it a lot with me. Even through all that, I still respect her."

"You probably have no choice."

"I do have a choice. I do it because I love her."

"I had a feeling your father forced you to do it."

"You leave my father out of this!"

"Why should I? I don't think your father cares about what I say about him behind his back. The only reason I'm not is because I'm afraid he'll kill me. And after everything that's happened today, I'm pretty sure he does."

"You wouldn't have lost his respect if you hadn't of said what you said to your mother!"

"I'll be honest with you. It was a mistake inviting your family here. It would've been better if they thought you were dead!"

"I invited them here to make amends!"

"What amends? Were you finally gonna confess about being a pirate?"

"No, not that! I wanted to confess the truth about almost getting them killed by humans!"

"What?!" This shocked Diego more than anything.

Shira actually had tears streaming from her eyes. She turned her face away so she wouldn't meet Diego eye to eye. "I made friends with a little female human. She only looked to be about two or three years old. She was just wandering around the woods looking for someone to play with, so I played with her. It wasn't too long before her tribe caught me and threatened to kill my family for our fur. I was scared, but I couldn't let them hurt the sabers I love."

"What did you do?" Diego actually had a feeling he knew what she would say.

Shira's tears were on the verge of becoming sobs. "I gathered up some of my saber friends and we...we attacked them. We killed a bunch of them. Some fled. Even through all that, I managed to get that little girl to safety. When I moved her away from danger, I told her to run. Find a safe place. And she did." Shira started crying, placing her paw over her mouth. "I've never forgiven myself for that."

"Did you go back to your family?" Diego placed his paw on her shoulder.

"No, I ran off. I couldn't face them for what I did. If only I had never made that mistake." Shira sat there and cried. She had never cried in front of Diego, but this was a time when she couldn't hold the tears back.

Diego nuzzled his wife. "I'm sorry, Shira."

Shira pushed him away. "No, you're not. You're not sorry for any of this. You've done something that you're never gonna take back. I don't want you to make the same mistake I did, but you went off and did it anyway."

"Shira..."

"No, Diego, just...no. Please just leave me alone. Go spend the night somewhere else." Shira flopped down in the bed and buried her face in her arms.

Diego understood that his wife needed some time to think. "Okay, I understand. I'll find somewhere else to go for the night. Goodnight, Shira." He walked out of the room and started making his way out the door. He had a feeling Shira asked her family to leave for the night and felt horrible that she ended up making them go. He started making his way over to Manny and Ellie's place.

Shira was lying on the bed crying when her parents peeked inside the room. Selma was the first to walk up to her daughter and nuzzled her in her motherly way. "Oh, Shira. Don't hurt yourself over something like this."

Shira continued sobbing. "I'm sorry, Mama. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Alejandro was speechless for a moment. He shook himself out of his thoughts and kissed his wife. "I have some business to take care of."

"Alejandro, please," Selma begged, "Don't do what I think you're about to do."

"Please, Daddy," Shira sobbed, "It's not his fault."

Alejandro growled. "He needs to be taught a lesson." He left out of the room and stormed off in the pouring rain.

Selma sat with her daughter, trying to calm her down. She worried what her husband had planned inside his mind, but little did she know that the lesson he would teach Diego was a lot different than what he usually did.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Down the trail, inside the mammoths cave, Manny and Ellie were inside their home staying warm by the fire and had the place all to themselves. Manny was pouring coconut juice and handed a cup to his wife. They knew exactly how to spend a cold, rainy night.

"Well, Ellie, the night is young, it's raining outside and it's just the two of us here," Manny said.

"It's always the two of us here," Ellie said, "Exactly how I like it."

Manny set his cup of coconut juice down on the wooden coffee table. "And you know what two mammoths do when they're alone, don't you?"

Ellie giggled romantically. "You read my mind."

The two of them leaned in to give one another the first kiss of the night when a knock was heard on the wooden door.

Manny sighed. "I'll get it." He walked over and answered the door. He was surprised to see Diego standing there in the pouring rain. "Diego, what are you doing here?"

"Shira kicked me out," Diego said, "I need a place to sleep for the night."

"Why, what happened?" Ellie asked, coming up to the door.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Diego invited himself in. "Hope you don't mind if I take the spare room."

"No problem," Manny said. Once Diego was out of sight, Manny held Ellie's trunk in his. "So, my love. Where were we?"

"Manny, I think we should go and make sure Shira's okay," Ellie said, "You remember how upset she was when she and Diego had a fight."

Manny groaned. "But what about our romantic evening?"

"Tomorrow night's still young. Right now we have friends who need help."

"Tell you what, El. I'll stay here and try to talk to Diego and you go make sure Shira's okay."

"Good idea. I'll be back." Ellie grabbed the leaf umbrella and walked out into the pouring rain.

Manny walked inside the room where he saw Diego lying in the bed made of straw. He smiled. "So, Diego, old buddy. It's a rainy night out there, huh?" Diego didn't say a word. Manny continued on. "So, uh, wanna tell me what happened tonight?" Still nothing. "Okay, you don't have to say anything right now. That's fine. You can just talk when you're ready. That's perfectly..." Manny started hearing noises outside the window. "What's going on outside?" He walked over to the window and unexpectedly, a paw swung out at him. He screamed. "What the-"

Crawling in through the window was Alejandro. He dropped himself on the ground, stood up straight and growled at Diego. "I want to talk to you! Right here! Right now!"

Diego hopped up on all fours. "Alejandro!"

"I heard everything you said to my daughter! My little girl!" Alejandro pins Diego to the ground. "And you're gonna pay!"

"Alejandro, please! Don't do this! You'll be breaking Shira's heart even more if you kill me!"

"You thought I would rather think she was dead!" Alejandro tightened his grip on Diego.

"Fine! Just kill me now! That's what you want!"

Alejandro's eyes widened when he heard Diego say such a thing. He got off of him and backed away. He shook his head. "I do not kill for revenge."

"I figured you did when you killed a saber attacking your girlfriend."

"That was different. I was defending for her to protect her. I'm sure you would do the same thing for Shira."

"I had a feeling that's what you were gonna do to me. Kill me for your daughter's sake."

"Why should I? Couples argue. My wife and I have arguments from time to time. I just didn't appreciate some of the things you said." Alejandro looked over at Manny, who was standing in front of the doors, dumbfounded. "Can you please give us a few minutes?"

Manny nodded. "Sure." He backed out of the room.

Diego sighed. "I'm sorry. I regret the things I've said to Shira. I just want you to know that I still love her and married her for better or for worse."

"Then you have to prove that to her. By making amends with your mother."

"Yeah, right. I can't believe Shira's lied to you all these years. You've probably disowned her by now."

"And just like every other mistake she's ever made in her life, we'll talk it out. She's always been a wild child. Every child takes a different route. Shira happens to be that child. You just need to learn how to handle her."

"What do you want from me? If you wanna fight me, let's fight right now." He got into a fighting stance.

Alejandro shook his head. "Fighting does not solve everything. All I ask is you make amends to your mother before it's too late. I've made the same mistake. I was tired of my mother treating me like a child and told her things I shouldn't have said. I regretted it and after a while, I finally apologized for the words that came out of my mouth."

"Sonja isn't anything like my mother. She at least treats you like an adult."

"She has learned that I have grown up. And your mother will as well if you show her that."

Diego knew he messed things up with his mother. No matter what, Patty was still his mother and he still loved her. Shira and Alejandro were both right. If he didn't patch things up with his mother, he would truly regret it. He looked Alejandro in the eyes. "You're right. I know what I need to do." He rushed past his father-in-law and ran out of the mammoth's cave.

He's not gonna make the same mistake Alejandro made. Regrets can be hard to fix, but it's worth it to bring back the one's you love.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Over at the Switchback Cove Inn, Patty had woke up early to catch the next iceberg boat for home. She knew when she wasn't welcomed. She was busy packing up the few things she brought with her when a knock came to the door. She sighed and continued packing. Another knock came, but she ignored it.

Then a voice spoke from the other side of the door. "Mom, are you in there?"

"No, this is the housekeeper," Patty said, "I'm afraid you have the wrong room."

"Mom, the housekeepers can't talk. They're hyraxes. I know it's you. Can you let me in?"

"No, Diego."

"Mom, please."

"I don't want to talk about anything else, son. There's nothing else to talk about. I know when I'm not welcomed."

"Mom, you're always welcomed. Look, just open the door so we can talk."

Patty sighed and gave in. "Fine." She opened up the wooden door. "Okay, you wanna talk, let's talk."

Diego rubbed the back of his neck. "Mom, I don't want us to end up like others do. I don't wanna regret something that will take years to take back. I just snapped. I was so tired with you embarrassing me and all that I thought yelling at you would finally shut you out of my life. Now I realize that trying to keep you away from me just ruins the mother and son relationship we have. What I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry."

Patty nods and smiles. "I forgive you. I understand now. When I ran off, I took the time to think about things. I see now that I've treated you too much like a baby. It's time to let you be a grown saber. I figured if I left, you would finally be treated like one."

"How can you treat me like one if you're not here?"

Patty gasped. "Oh, Diego!" She wrapped her arms around her son gently. Then she suddenly let go. "Wait a second. Where am I gonna live?"

Diego chuckled nervously. "I'll talk to Shira about that. But you're more than welcomed to stay with us."

Patty smiles and hugs her son. Now that Diego's patched things up with his mother, he now needs to patch things up with his wife. And he's sure Shira will be happy with what he's done.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

A couple of days later, Shira's entire family was at the party lot for a special dinner catered by the Switchback Restaurant. Sitting at the head table was Shira and Diego, along with Selma and Alejandro and, yes, Patty was seated there, too. After everything that's happened, they were all able to patch up old wounds, let bygones be bygones and prepare for what the future may hold.

They were all laughing at a joke Patty had just told. "I knew that would bring a laugh out of you all. That joke never gets old."

"Wasn't that the joke Dad used to tell you a lot?" Diego asked while laughing.

"Oh, yes. That saber knew how to treat a lady before he mysteriously left."

"Do you ever think of why he left?" Selma asked.

"Oh, he told me why," Patty said, "He said he saw a vision of his life flash before his eyes and needed to travel the world. I haven't seen him since my cubs turned into teenagers."

"And there were moments when I really needed him there," Diego said.

"Oh, you didn't need him, dear. You're a better saber than he ever was."

"Indeed." Alejandro stood up. "And I believe it is time we start what was never started."

"Daddy, please," Shira said, "Can't we do this another time?"

"No, Shira, it's fine," Diego said, "If this is what I have to do to be a part of this family, then I'm gonna take the beating." He stood up as well. "Let's go for it."

Patty grabbed her son's paw. "Diego!"

"Yes, Mom?" Diego looked at his mother.

"Be careful."

Diego nuzzles his mother. "I will."

The male sabers jumped into the pit. Alejandro roared the calling sound and the entire family gathered around. The children started cheering in excitement to finally see a fight. Alejandro chuckled. "Let's do this."

"With pleasure," Diego said while growling.

"Begin!" Sonja shouted.

Diego made the first move by pouncing on Alejandro, but before he could get a good grip, the old saber threw him off, making him slam to the wall. Diego got up, though, and charged at Alejandro. He brought out his fist to punch him, but Alejandro grabbed Diego's wrist, crushing it harder than when it was being shook when they first met. Diego couldn't handle the pain anymore and used his other paw to claw Alejandro's cheek, causing the old saber to roar out in pain and free his son-in-law.

Seeing him weak, Diego went in for another attack, not knowing that Alejandro had a trick up his fur. He smacked Diego in the eye. His son-in-law clutched his eye and looked up. Even though it was now black and blue, he still had to continue fighting. He once again pounced on Alejandro and kept a firm grip, but it wasn't strong enough. The old saber started struggling, but took it upon himself to scratch Diego's stomach. Diego yelped in pain, removing himself from on top of Alejandro.

The old saber took this moment to take Diego down, but what he wasn't expecting was for the young saber to back paw him in the face and knock him to the ground. Diego once again pounced on him, keeping a tight grip and heard Sonja call out, "Diego is the winner!"

Diego removed himself from on top of Alejandro and helped the old saber up. Alejandro laughed and patted Diego's sore shoulder. "Welcome to the family, son!"

Diego smiled. "Thanks...Dad."

Shira ran up and embraced her husband. "I'm a lucky sabress."

Diego couldn't agree more. He was a lucky saber himself. And even though he wasn't always lucky, he can definitely say that he was lucky to have such an amazing family.

* * *

 **I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED ANOTHER AWESOME EPISODE OF ICE AGE: NEW LIFE.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	7. Race Around Switchback Cove

S1 E7

RACE AROUND SWITCHBACK COVE

 **EPISODE SUMMARY:**

 **THINGS START TO GET BORING AROUND THE ISLAND, SO THE HERD SET UP A RACE AROUND SWITCHBACK COVE. THROUGHOUT THE RACE, THE HERD MEMBERS BEGIN COMPETING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND SINCE ONLY ONE LOG CAR CAN WIN, THEY ALL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE FIRST.**

It was a peaceful evening in Switchback Cove. Over in the mammoths cave, Manny and Ellie, along with the possum twins, Diego and Shira, Sid and Brooke were all sitting at the dining room table playing a game of leaf poker. So far the sabers were winning, but nobody complained. The sabers always had the winning streak. No reason to try and beat them.

The only thing that would make the evening exciting is if someone else won. But that wasn't happening anytime soon. Because when Manny set down three kings and a queen, Diego set down four aces.

"Jackpot, baby!" Diego exclaimed, "The sabers remain the winners!" He collected all Manny's chips.

"Congratulations," Manny said grumpily, "You won again for the third time in a row tonight."

"What can we say?" Shira said, "We're good at this game."

Sid groaned. "This is getting old!" He threw his cards on the table.

"What's wrong, my sweet love?" Brooke asked her husband.

"Everything's wrong!" Sid threw his hands up in the air.

"Oh, here we go." Manny rolled his eyes.

"Nothing great ever happens around Switchback Cove," Sid complained, "Where did all the excitement go? Ever since the asteroid almost hit Earth, things have been nothing but boring."

"That's not true," Crash said.

"Yeah," Eddie said, "A lot of cool stuff has happened since then."

"Like what?" Sid asked.

"Well, there was Manny's concert," Ellie said.

"My mother showing up on the island," Diego said.

"Manny saying that my hips looked fat," Shira said.

"And don't forget about the parenting classes," Brooke said.

"Not convincing enough." Sid shook his head.

Manny sighed. "Come on, Sid. Plenty has happened since the aftermath of the close apocalypse. Remember when we saved Puffer's Pie Treehouse?"

"Yeah, but it's nothing like any of the other great things we've ever done," Sid explained, "To make it sweet and short, I want action and I want it now!" Sid smacked his head on the table.

"Sid, the moment you get action, you start to get tired and complain that we'll all die," Diego said.

Sid rose his head off the table. "Guys, I promise I won't do that this time. No complaining. That's my new rule."

"You won't live up to it for a day," Manny said.

"Well since we're on the topic of fun things to do, why don't we think of a fun activity that everyone on the island can be a part of?" Ellie suggested.

"Maybe we could have a community hockey game?" Manny said.

"No, thanks," Diego said, "I'm still getting over my concussion from last month's hockey game. If I could make a suggestion, we should have a comedian act. I know some good comedy jokes." He clears his through. "What do you call a cat that hates Halloween? A scaredy cat." He chuckles, but nobody else laughs. "Oh, come on. I'm still writing new material."

"I say we should have a prank day," Crash said.

"That's April Fool's Day," Eddie told his brother, "If anything, we should have an eating contest."

"Sorry, boys," Ellie said, "Nothing that involves food. Manny's trying to watch his weight."

"Ellie, not in front of everyone," Manny said nervously.

"I think maybe we should have a community work out day. Get everybody up and moving."

"I actually had something similar to that," Shira said, "Two words: dancing competition." Everyone looked at the female saber. "I like dancing. Don't judge."

"What is wrong with everyone?" Sid whined, "Why isn't anyone thinking of something?"

Brooke gasped. "I merely forgot that I left my purse in the log car. Excuse me a moment." She got up from her chair and walked towards the cave exit.

A firefly flew up above Manny's head and sparked an idea into his brain. "I got it! It's got something to do with log cars and Brooke gave me the idea."

Brooke giggled. "Well, I'm happy to help with whatever idea you have planned."

"Okay, guys. I have an idea. Listen up." So Manny shared his idea with everyone at the table.

Whatever idea Manny has planned, it was so much better than losing a game of leaf poker against the sabers again. Who knows? It could be epic.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next day, Manny and the herd was sitting inside a huge cave known as the Switchback Cove Meeting Cave. He was standing in the middle of the room with a piece of leaf paper in his trunk. On it were some drawing descriptions explaining the new event Manny thought up of. All events that were to be held in Switchback Cove had to be approved by the committee before it could come into play.

Manny cleared his throat and began. "Fellow committee members of the Switchback Cove Council. I, Manfred the mammoth, and my family wish to start a new event on the island. I call it the Switchback Cove Raceway 500." He had Ellie place a stone piece on a wooden easel picturing the event. "We would like for this to be a yearly event. All citizens in Switchback Cove are welcomed to enter the race. It will be a five lap race around the entire island. They must have their own log car and it must be inspected before being used in the race. There can be no more than three to a log car and anyone caught wrecking other racers on purpose or anyone caught cheating will be disqualified and will not be allowed to enter future races. We want to make this event safe and fun for everyone. And the winner/winners of the race will receive a year supply of food." Ellie replaced the previous stone drawing with another. This one had the prize collection. "I hope you can approve of this event, but that is entirely up to you."

When Manny completed his speech, Sid came up and translated the entire thing to the hyraxes. When the male sloth finished, the hyrax leader whispered among his fellow committee members. When they were done, the hyrax leader smiled up at the herd and said, "Vroom, vroom!" Which meant they approved of the racing event.

"They're all for it!" Sid announced.

The entire herd cheered. Some excitement was about to happen.

Manny then got straight to work. "Okay, everyone. We need to start spreading the word out. In a few days, this island is gonna be filled with some log cars."

"They'll be the most popular things since sliced fruits!" Brooke exclaimed.

The herd began preparations for the big race. The racing competition was about to begin. And when there's competitions, there's competing.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next few days was filled with building log cars. Since Sid and Brooke already owned a log car, they were fixing up the one they had to make it look like the fastest car out on the road. Brooke was adding some paint while Sid was under the hood filling up the tank with water. Walking over to the sloths work was the mammoths.

"How's everything going over here?" Ellie asked the sloths.

"Oh, hello, Ellie," Brooke said, "Things are going smoothly."

"Your log cars looking great," Manny said, "Love the paint job you've got going on."

"Thanks, Manny," Sid said. He bumped his head on the hood. "Ow!"

Brooke giggled. "Well, we figured a nice paint job would help make our car the fastest one."

"What makes you think ours won't go fast?" Manny asked, giving Brooke a look.

"Oh, I forgot to ask. How is your log car coming along?" Brooke took a fur cloth off a rock right next to her and started wiping paint off her claws.

"We'll show you." Manny left behind some bushes. When he came back out, he brought along with him a log car big and sturdy enough for four mammoths. Maybe even five. It was made with giant logs the size of tree trunks and was shaped like a giant box. On the floorboards of the car was soft fur cushioning. The rear of the car had a drawing of a checkered flag. "What do you think?"

"I like it," Sid said.

"Don't you think it's a bit heavy?" Brooke asked.

"Maybe to you, but we mammoths need some extra space, if you know what I mean," Manny chuckled.

"I think they know what you mean, honey," Ellie told her husband.

"I don't," Sid said.

A loud booming noise was heard coming up the trail. Pulling up in a stylish log car was Diego and Shira. It was more like a convertible than it was a decent vehicle. The outside was painted a sea green color with a windshield, rearview mirror, and side mirror made entirely of ice. The rear of the car had a wooden license plate with different symbols: X()&:(&? The inside had fur carpeting, cup holders and a music box, which was the culprit of the booming noise.

Manny plugged his ears while yelling, "Can you turn that off?"

Diego pulled off the shades he was wearing and nodded while shutting off the music box. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize how loud it was." He and Shira climbed out of the log car. "What do you guys think?"

"And be nice about it," Shira said, "We worked hard on this."

"I like it," Sid said.

"I will admit that it has style," Brooke said.

"Don't you guys think it's a little too much?" Manny asked.

"Nonsense," Diego said, patting the hood of the car, "It's perfect."

"And it's a lot better looking than that giant piece of wood," Shira said, pointing at the mammoth's car creation.

"Hey, that giant piece of wood is a finish line winner," Manny said.

Shira laughed. "How is that thing gonna get across the finish line? It's as fat as you."

"I'm not fat," Manny groaned.

"He's actually been doing a lot better with his weight," Ellie said.

"It just goes to show," Shira chuckled, "Style is faster than normal."

"Shira, I think that's enough of rubbing it in," Diego told his wife.

"I'm not rubbing it in. I'm just stating the truth. That thing is not gonna go across the finish line."

"Why should that matter?" Manny asked, "You guys think that you're better than us?"

"That's not what they meant, Manny," Ellie said.

"That's exactly what I meant," Shira admitted.

Ellie was shocked. "Shira!"

"Oh, please. Like you guys aren't having the same thoughts about us. Fat things like that don't win."

"You mean like how your fat hips won't fit inside a pool float?" Manny said.

"Manny!" Ellie yelled out.

Shira gasped. "What is the matter with you?" She claws Manny in the trunk, leaving scratch marks visible.

This doesn't cause Manny to scream in agony. He just stood there and said, "That doesn't affect me anymore, big hips."

"Okay, that's where I draw the line," Diego said, leading himself and his wife back to their log car, "We'll see you guys at the race. And prepare to be defeated." Diego hopped into the driver's seat with Shira sitting next to him. He started up the music box and drove away on the trail.

"You better prepare for the same!" Manny shouts after them. He stares at the sloths next. "You both better be ready to lose." He heads back over to the giant log car.

Brooke was literally on her knees. "Please, Manny! Don't turn this into a competition! I beg of you!"

"Sorry!" Manny started up the car and began to drive away. But he wasn't even past the trees when the wheels collapsed on the trail. "Oh, that's perfect!"

Brooke walked over to Ellie. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Ellie sighed. "All I can say is good luck to you both." She walks away to help her husband.

Brooke was literally in tears as she grabbed Sid in an embrace. "Whatever happened to the good old days when things used to be fun?"

"I wish I knew, Brooke," Sid said, "I wish I knew." He held his wife close as she cried in his chest. And he's pretty sure his chest smelled like rotten fish, but Brooke didn't care if he smelled like death.

Let's hope the race doesn't become a danger to ending friendships.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The next couple of days was filled with arguments and competing over who's vehicle was better than who's. Brooke and Sid did everything they could do to stop the fights and were defeated every time. All they could do was wish themselves luck and hope for the best.

The big day finally came. There were some good racers, including a dodo bird, two tortoises, a trunkless stat and an anteater. All the herd members were in the race as well and were split in teams of two and three:

Manny and Ellie,

Diego and Shira,

Sid and Brooke,

Peaches and Julian,

Gladys and Teddy,

Crash and Eddie,

Buck and Tara,

and Gavin, Gertie and Roger.

Peaches and Julian had a car similar to Manny and Ellie's, except that it was painted with snowflakes and peaches.

Gladys and Teddy were riding in a giant log with two seats cut out in the front. All it had was a steering wheel, four wooden tires and the two of them.

Crash and Eddie had a small log car, but there's was decorated with every prank in the book. They had honey stuck to the back of it and even had a compartment full of prank supplies. And nobody else knew about it but them and they prefer to keep it that way.

Buck and Tara's log car was simple. It was painted in a nice green color with a picture of Buck's knife on one side while there was a coconut connected to a slingshot on the other side. That was actually Tara's line of defense when she went on adventures.

The dino birds had a nice size log as their car. While Gavin was in the driver's seat and Gertie was riding shotgun, Roger had his own seat on the branch. He actually felt comfortable and needed riding up high. Since he had his mother's keen eyes, he would be the lookout to spot anyone trying to pass them. Plus their log car was painted blue and had leaves also painted blue hooked to the sides to be the wings of the vehicle.

There were some animals who were excited about the race. Even Scrat and Scratte entered the race. Their car looked more like a remote control car and was controlled with pedals. Scrat wanted to impress Scratte with his driving skills and would win that grand prize for her.

The announcer, who was a vulture, climbed up on the stage and started addressing the island. "Good morning, citizens of Switchback Cove! It is a beautiful day for a race! And may I say that we have some fantastic animals out here on the trail today!"

The mammoths and sabers kept giving everyone the stink eye. Peaches and Julian were confused as to what was going on. Brooke and Sid gave each other worried glances. Gladys and Teddy ignored it. So did the possum brothers and dino birds.

The weasels were oblivious to what was going on. Buck waved to everyone happily and called out, "Happy racing!"

"We wish you all the best of luck!" Tara exclaimed.

The announcer cleared his throat. "The rules for this race is very simple. Anyone caught cheating or wrecking other racers will be disqualified. And all vehicles have been inspected and are safe to be used in the race. Each racer must complete five laps around the entire island. The winner or winners of this race will receive the grand prize of a yearly supply of food!" A horned beaver uncovered the grand prize. Glowing in a mountain was fruit, vegetables, fish, and even acorns. "This is enough to feed an entire family and save time from foraging food."

"I don't care about the food," Shira said, "I just want to kick the fat mammoth's butt!"

"Same thoughts here, big hips!" Manny shouted.

"I just want everyone to get along again!" Brooke groaned.

"What is going on with them?" Peaches asked the sloths.

"You know how it is with animals competing with one another," Sid said, chuckling nervously while placing his paws on the wheel.

"Racers, start your pedal power!" the announcer called out.

Everyone started up the pedal power in their log cars. A hyrax came out with three different colored flags. He first held up the red one.

"Ready..." the horned beaver said.

Then the orange flag was held up. The mammoths and sabers growled at one another. Brooke was praying silently for her friends.

"Set..."

And then green came up.

"Go!"

And off the racers went.

Starting off in the lead for the first lap was Manny and Ellie. The two were excited. Ellie was cheering while Manny drove as fast as he could.

"Come on, Manny!" Ellie cheered, "Let's show everyone what we're made of!"

"You got it!" Manny exclaimed, pumping the car up with some speed.

The sabers were right behind the mammoths. Shira was angry to see the fat mammoth in the lead. "Ugh! We can't let them beat us!"

"I know!" Diego said, "I'll catch up to them, babe!"

"Luckily, I got a couple of tricks up my fur." Shira removed a smelly trout from the compartment and once Diego drove up right next to the mammoths, Shira didn't hesitate to throw it in Manny's face. Shira laughed loudly. "How do you like them apples? Or better yet, fish?"

The distraction caused the sabers to take lead. Manny removed the fish from his face and threw it out of the car. It landed in Scrat and Scratte's car, causing the squirrels to swerve all over the road and get stuck in the mud. Scrat started trying to push the car back on the trail while the other racers were passing by to start the second lap.

Brooke was angry to see the sabers cheating in order to win. "They did that on purpose!"

"Well, they have been fighting since this whole thing started!" Sid called out from over the noise.

"I'm getting sick of all the arguments and the hurtful words being thrown at one another!" Brooke's temper was getting the best of her.

"Brooke, remember your breathing exercises! Don't get angry!"

"Sorry, Sid! They crossed the line!" Brooke dug through the compartment and held out a bunch of banana peels while laughing wickedly.

Sid was shocked. "Where did those come from?"

"I stole them from Crash and Eddie! Hope nobody minds a little slip!"

"Brooke, don't do this!"

"Too late! I'm doing it!" Brooke flung the banana peels out onto the trail. She took some more out. "Drive up to the pussy cats!"

Sid was too scared of his wife to disobey. "Whatever you say, dear!" He drove faster, making his way up to the sabers. "Please forgive us for this!"

"For what?" Diego asked.

"This!" Brooke threw the banana peels under the sabers wheels, making them slip and slide all over the trail and caused them to go off the road into the mud. Brooke just laughed wickedly. "Hope you had a good slip!"

Shira screamed. "Why does this always happen to us?"

"I know," Diego said, "That pun was terrible. I can make a better joke than that."

Shira growled and pushed her husband out of the car. "Get out and push or we'll never catch them!"

"Yes, babe!" Diego rushed over to the back of the car and started pushing it out of the mud. It was hard to do that with Shira in it, but he wasn't planning to make her angrier than she already was and he wanted to win the race himself.

But is winning really worth it? We'll just have to wait and see.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Lap three came along and the possum brothers were full of energy. They were in a battle for second to last place against the dino birds. The twins were doing everything possible to gain just a little bit of the lead. From throwing things to pushing each other off the road, they knew someone was getting out of the race.

Eddie had a pair of wooden binoculars to spot out the dino birds. "It looks like they're about to pass by another racer, bro!"

"Then we need to bring out the big guns!" Crash shouted over the noise.

"But we didn't bring guns!"

Crash slapped himself over the forehead. His brother can be such an idiot. "I'm talking about the ultimate prank."

"Oh, yeah!" Eddie reached through the compartment full of pranks and removed a giant bamboo straw. He stuffed a couple of giant wads made up of honey, tree sap, and the core was an apple for extra pain. "Drive up closer!"

"You got it!" Crash pedaled faster until they were exactly ten feet apart from the dino birds. "I'm in position! Go for it!"

"Firing the big guns!" Eddie blew into the big straw. The sticky wad flew straight for the Dakotaraptors.

The first to notice the wad was Roger since he was in the higher seat. He yelped in fear. "Dad, swerve right!"

"Roger that, Roger!" Gavin shouted, swerving to the right and missing the wad, "What was that?"

"Let me see!" Roger used his keen eye sight to spot Crash and Eddie behind them. He saw Eddie place his mouth around a giant bamboo straw. "Dad, be prepared to swerve! The possums are trying to hit us!"

"With giant boogers?" Gertie stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Gross!"

"Swerve left!" Roger yelled out.

Gavin swerved left, missing the wad by that much. "Phew! Almost got hit!"

"They're gonna have to do more than blow giant boogers at us!" Gertie laughed.

"I think they've run out!" Roger said. But just when he was getting comfortable, a rock hit him over the head, knocking him out cold.

"Roger!" Gavin shouted, worried for his son.

"Pop, look out!" Gertie pointed behind them.

Before Gavin could swerve, the wad hit him right in the face, causing him to lose sight of the trail. Gertie tried taking the wheel, but she didn't have control of the pedals. Gavin was having trouble getting the stickiness off his eyes.

Crash and Eddie were laughing and playing around that they didn't realize how fast they were going and were heading into the direction of the dino birds crazy vehicles. They screamed in fear as well as Gertie and Gavin, who could only see halfway, as the two log cars collided into one another.

Log dust spread everywhere and once it cleared out, the two vehicles were pretty much demolished. All that was left of the possums vehicle was their pranks and the steering wheel while the dino birds had their specialty made wings and the seat they made for Roger, who was still strapped in it and was still unconscious.

"Thanks a lot, fleabags!" Gertie shouted, "You made us lose the race!"

"If you guys had hold still long enough, none of this would've happened!" Crash yelled out.

Gavin was still trying to remove the sticky gunck from his eye. "Well, you guys shouldn't have been shooting whatever this stuff is. What did you guys put in this to make it so sticky? I can't get it out!"

"Don't start blaming this on us!" Eddie threw a rock at Gertie, who ducked in time before the rock targeted her head and knocked an unconscious Roger's head instead. "It's your fault we're out of the race!"

The argument ceased when Buck and Tara drove by. They stopped to assess the damage. Tara gasped. "What happened here?"

"Just a little fender bender," Gavin told the weasels, "Nothing we can't handle."

"You guys need any help?" Buck asked.

"And does Roger need a doctor?" Tara asked, pointing at an unconscious Roger.

"No thanks," Gavin said, "We've got everything under control."

"Alright then," Buck said, "Wish us luck!"

"Sorry about your log cars!" Tara shouted out to them as Buck drove off.

Once the weasels returned to the race, the dino birds and possum brother resumed arguing. Honestly, fighting seriously doesn't get anyone anywhere. Can't we all just get along?

 **NEXT SCENE:**

The fourth lap started with Brooke and Sid in the lead. Since they were able to slow down the sabers and the mammoths weren't able to catch up, they were celebrating a victory they weren't sure would happen.

Well, Brooke was celebrating at the least. She was dancing and cheering in her seat. "Whoo hoo! This is incredible! There's no way we can lose now!"

Sid was worried about his friends and about his wife finally snapping. He couldn't hide his feelings about this whole thing any longer. "Brooke, not being rude, but I think what we're doing is wrong!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Listen, I know the others are cheating and doing whatever they can to try and win, but we shouldn't be following along in their footsteps and doing it, either!"

"You wanted excitement, didn't you? Well, you're going to get it!"

"Me and my big fat mouth!"

While Sid was trying to talk some more sense into his wife, Gladys and Teddy came up out of the blue right behind them. They already knew the race would turn into a cheating competition and couldn't wait to fight their way to first place. Gladys was filling some water into what looked like a wooden-made water gun.

"Okay, Teddy Bear!" Gladys told her boyfriend, "Get ready to win with a whole lot of water!" She points the water gun directly at Sid and Brooke's vehicle.

"Let's do it!" Teddy exclaims.

"Fire in the whole!" Gladys shoots out the water.

Sid and Brooke were still bickering when water hit them. The water pressure was so intense that Sid ended up accidentally breaking off the steering wheel. They lost control of the log car and ended up crashing into a tree, eliminating them from the race.

Gladys and Teddy started hollering in excitement for receiving first place and rubbed it in the sloth couple's faces.

"Oh, yeah!" Gladys stood up in her seat. "We are the champions!"

"Yeah, baby!" Teddy exclaimed, "We are winning this!"

But they didn't remain in the lead for long. Some of the banana peels that Brooke threw at the sabers were still on the ground and before they knew it, Gladys and Teddy were sliding all over the trail. Teddy lost control of the steering and caused the two to float in the water. Not only were they out of the race, but now their log car was a log boat.

"Next time I'm driving," Gladys said, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, Gladys," Teddy said. After all, he knew his driving skills were terrible from the start.

Floating next to them was Scrat and Scratte, who were also in the same boat. While Scratte sat in the passenger seat with an annoyed expression on her face, Scrat was trying to row what was left of the log car out of the water. When they crashed, the male squirrel had a wooden wheel over his neck, but worse has happened to him.

Scratte sat there cuddling Scrat's acorn. Knowing that she wanted to escape with it, she grasped it tightly in her little arms and jumped into the water. Scrat screamed at the top of his lungs. Abandoning his log boat, he swam after Scratte in pursuit of his precious acorn.

You honestly have to believe that Scrat's brain is made of acorns.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

This was it. The fifth and final lap. And now it's a race to the finish line.

The only racers left were Peaches and Julian, who were in the lead, Manny and Ellie, gaining for second against Diego and Shira. Buck and Tara were in last place, but that didn't bother them since they only entered the race for fun and excitement.

The young mammoth couple were having a blast in first place. Julian couldn't resist partying in his seat while Peaches cheered them on.

"Alright!" Peaches exclaimed, "We are doing it, baby!"

"Yeah we are!" Julian exclaimed, "We're winning it all!"

"This is the most fun I've had in a while! I wonder what's going on with the others!"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it's just tension!"

But while they were celebrating, the sabers were growling in anger. Mostly Shira was furious with how the race was turning out for them.

"I can't take this anymore!" Shira shouted, "It's time we take matters into our own paws! Drive up!"

"You got it!" Diego sped up past Manny and Ellie and made their way up to the younger mammoth couple. "What now?"

"Wreck them!"

"What?!"

"You heard me! Wreck them!"

"You do realize this is our niece that we're about to take out of the race, right? And you do know the conse-"

"Shut up and do it!" Shira's voice was louder than ever.

This scared Diego out of his wits, but he knew that if he didn't do it, his wife would shred him to pieces. So he merged into Peaches and Julian's log car, ramming them in the side.

Peaches screamed. "Whoa!"

"What's happening! What's happening!" Julian kept shouting.

Julian couldn't control the vehicle and caused them to wreck in a ditch. Luckily they were both okay, but they were both out of the race.

But Manny saw the whole thing. His temper rose up. He had steam literally shooting out of his ears. That's how furious he was. He knew something had to be done. Nobody wrecks his daughter and son-in-law and gets away with it. He knew what he had to do.

"Hold on tight, Ellie!" Manny shouted, pedaling faster than ever before.

Ellie yelped and held herself tightly in her seat. "Manny, I think it's time we let it go!"

"Not gonna happen! Get the rocks!"

"What rocks?"

"The rocks I stored in the compartment before the race started! I knew everyone was planning to cheat! So why not cheat along with them?"

"Manny, this has got to stop! Being in first place should not have to matter! Winning isn't everything, you know! Isn't your friendship more important than winning?"

Manny shook his head. He was going into stubborn mode thinking that none of this was his fault. It was the sabers and their aggressive attitudes to brag about everything. And he wasn't gonna stop until they were stopped. "What you need to understand is if they hadn't of started up all the arguments, none of this would've ever happened! Now throw the rocks at them!"

Ellie turned her head away. "You can do it all you want, but I'm not risking my friendship!"

Manny groaned. "Fine! I'll do it myself! Just take the wheel!"

Ellie sighed, placing her trunk on the wooden steering wheel. Manny picked up the largest rock in the bunch and getting the perfect aim at the back left wooden tire, he threw it. The rock hit right at its target and broke the tire.

Shira screamed. "What the heck was that?"

Diego looked into the rear view ice mirror. Another rock was headed towards them. "Be prepared for a swerve!" He swerved, but the rock ended up breaking the other back tire. "Oh, fish sticks!"

"Diego, we're slowing down!" Shira yelled out.

"I know that!" Diego roared, "I can't do anything about it, now can I?"

Another rock hit the right front tire, causing the log car to lean and ended up pouring Shira out of the vehicle like water. "Ahh! Diego!"

Diego stopped pedaling and put the car in park. He jumped out and rushed over to his wife. "Shira! You okay?"

Shira was lying in a puddle of mud, giving Diego a look that could kill. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. The mud puddle broke my fall."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"What was your first clue?"

Diego sighed. He watched as the other racers had passed by, knowing that since the tires were damaged, he and Shira were out of the race.

Hopefully they learned a lesson from all this.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Seeing that they were the ones in first place, Manny was cheering his heart out. Their log car may not have style or speed, but it was a nice one none the less. In his mind, slow and steady wins the race.

But Ellie was unhappy about the whole ordeal, wishing none of it ever happened. She glared daggers at her husband. "I hope the race was worth more than your friendship! All this for a yearly supply of food!"

"Hey, I'm not doing it for the food!" Manny argued, "I'm doing it to prove that this ordinary vehicle can do anything! And this is about to win first place!"

But luck was beginning to turn on the mammoths as they were just a moment away from the finish line. All the speed Manny put into pedaling caused a bunch of water from the tank to dry up. The pedal system in the vehicle automatically stopped and the car was no longer moving. They were just a few short feet from the finish line.

Ellie laughed. "You spoke too soon!"

Manny groaned. "Don't push it."

Driving up next to the mammoths were Buck and Tara. They were the first to cross the finish line with a couple of remaining racers coming up behind them.

"And the winners of the Switchback Cove Raceway 500 are Buck and Tara!" the vulture announcer exclaimed.

The weasels jumped out of their vehicle with shouts of excitement. Buck held Tara up in the air and spun her around. "Yes! We did it!"

"Oh, happy days!" Tara exclaimed. She gave Buck a big kiss on the lips.

"I could kiss you all day!" Buck smiled and kissed her back.

"Congratulations!" a horned beaver said to the weasels, "The grand prize is all yours!"

"Thanks!" The weasels went to collect their winnings.

While the crowd was congratulating the winners, Manny and Ellie pushed their log car up to the pit stop area so they could refill on water. They saw the saber's vehicle being hauled by vine ropes. Shira and Diego were walking behind with grim expressions. The sloths were the same way as Brooke had a leaf made ice pack on top of her head.

The mammoths walked over to their friends. They were silent for a moment until Manny cleared his throat. "So I see that none of us were the winners?"

Nobody said a word. They were all ashamed and feeling awful about how the whole ordeal turned out. But Ellie knew how to put a smile on everyone's faces and chuckled when she saw Shira covered in mud. "You know, Shira, this whole race must've made you so tense that you needed a mud bath to wash all that tension away."

Shira couldn't help but chuckle. "You have a point there."

"And Brooke. I can't believe you finally snapped." Ellie chuckled. "I bet it's been hundreds of years since you had a headache."

"Actually, my last headache happened fifty years ago," Brooke said, "Shangri Llama would not shut up about the new yoga move he created."

"So he's basically the father of all yoga creations," Manny said.

"The one and only."

"You know, I literally forgot why we were fighting," Sid said.

"Because we were competing against each other about who was the better racer," Shira said, "And, by the way, I blame myself for everything."

"Shira, we're all to blame for how this race turned out," Ellie said.

"If I hadn't of started up the argument, none of this would've ever happened. And I'm sorry for that."

"Yeah, since we're going into apology mode and all, I'm sorry I said your hips were fat," Manny said to Shira.

"And I'm sorry I said your log car was a piece of junk," Shira said.

"You never said it was a piece of junk. You said it was a fat piece of wood."

"I didn't say it to your face. To be honest, it's actually a very sturdy vehicle. Might be too big, but it's very sturdy."

Manny smiled. "Thanks, Shira."

"Dad!" shouted a voice behind the bull mammoth.

Manny looked to see Peaches and Julian coming up to them. "Peaches, Julian! You two okay?"

"We're fine, Dad," Peaches said.

"Our car isn't, though," Julian said, "It's completely trashed."

"The car can be easily fixed," Manny said.

"But if something had happened to you two, we couldn't fix that," Ellie told the young mammoth couple.

Shira sighed, looking up at her niece and husband. "Diego and I are so sorry for ramming into you guys. We got so caught up in competing against one another that we forgot the most important thing about this race. Having fun."

"Ah, water under the bridge," Julian said, "We're just glad everyone's safe."

"Who's idea was it to have this race in the first place?" Sid asked.

"Well, technically it was my idea, but you were the one who said that everything was boring and nothing exciting ever happens that you had me come up with the idea," Manny explained to Sid.

"Like I said before. Me and my big fat mouth."

"So I guess you're gonna whine and complain about how we were all gonna die?" Diego asked.

"Nope," Sid told the male saber, "From now on I'm gonna learn to keep my mouth shut even during boring times."

Shira snorted. "That'll be the day."

"Why don't we all try having better sportsmanship for next year's race?" Ellie said, "Can we all promise to do that?"

"We promise!" everyone said in unison.

"You all won't be in next year's race except for the younger mammoths," the horned beaver said while walking up to them, "You all are banned."

"What?" Manny shouted, "But we were the one's that came up with the idea!"

"Maybe so, but the hyraxes caught you two, the sabers, the sloths, the possums and the sloth lady with the bunny cheating. And that's against the rules. I'll need your prints by the end of the day." The horned beaver walked away.

"Wait a second," Sid said, "He never mentioned the dino birds. Where are they?"

"And where's Gladys and Teddy?" Manny asked.

"Over here." Everyone looked to see Gladys dragging her boyfriend by the ears. Both of them were sopping wet. "Long ears ended up making us float down a waterfall."

"I said I was sorry," Teddy said, wincing in pain by how hard Gladys tugged on his ears.

"So where are the dino birds?" Diego asked.

"Over here!" Flying down to them was Gertie who was safe and sound. "My little bro is getting checked out by the medics. He got knocked out by those whipping tailed rodents and my dad's still trying to get that sticky goop off his face."

"Does anybody know where my brothers are?" Ellie asked.

Everyone overheard the possum brothers arguing with one another in the distance.

"This is all your fault!" Crash shouted at his brother.

"How is any of this my fault?" Eddie shouted back, "You should've let me drive while you handled the big guns!"

"You don't know how to drive!"

"You don't, either, so this is all your fault!"

"No, it's your fault!"

"No, it's your fault!"

"It's your fault!"

"It's your fault!"

"YOUR FAULT!"

"YOUR FAULT!"

The brothers began tumbling around one another, punching and kicking while also falling over a cliff. Even as they were hanging on tree branches, they still continued wrestling with one another.

Brooke chuckled. "Well, even though some of us can't race next year, that doesn't mean we can't come and watch the other racers."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Ellie said, "Cheering on for the other racers sounds amazing. That's what I call good sportsmanship."

"And to start off being good sports, let's go congratulate the winners," Sid said.

While they headed over to the weasels, Manny asked his wife, "Do you think Buck and Tara will share their winnings with us?"

"Manny!" Ellie groaned.

"Just kidding!" Manny hugged his wife tightly.

"Love you, too, Manny."

The herd went over to congratulate the weasels on winning the race. Lesson learned that cheaters never win, but having good sportsmanship does. And it's better to be fair than to compete.

No matter the quarrels, nothing can ever break the herd apart.

* * *

 **HOW WAS THAT, GUYS?**

 **HOPE THIS EPISODE WAS GOOD.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


	8. The Underground Sisters

S1 E8

THE UNDERGROUND SISTERS

 **SUMMARY:**

 **CRASH, EDDIE AND LOUIS ARE TAKEN BY THREE GIRLS KNOWN AS THE UNDERGROUND SISTERS. WHEN THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SISTER'S HOSPITALITY, THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT THE GIRLS ARE IN LOVE WITH THEM.**

The Sun was beaming down on the snowy ground of Switchback Cove. Animals were going on about their day in the village. It was the perfect day to spend outdoors. Whether it be going out for a nice walk, having a picnic or just lying in the snow and doing nothing.

But when you're a little molehog name Louis, you tend to spend a nice day out studying a hobby.

Inside a hollow tree on a wooden table was a collection of different types of rocks. Louis was drawing some pictures on a piece of bark when his shoulder knocked one off the table.

He bent down and picked it up. "Not so fast, little guy." When he went back to standing up straight, an inappropriate fart noise was heard. Louis turned his head to see Crash and Eddie standing on top of the wooden chairs, both sticking out their tongues. He just rolled his eyes, setting the little rock back on the table and checking off the one's he owns. "Let's see. Limestone, check. Marble, check. Granite, check."

Crash rolls his eyes. "Yep. It's a rock."

"I'd like to go out and find some more rocks for my collection so I can study them," Louis said, "I won't rest until I find that moon rock."

"The moon has rocks?" Eddie said, bewildered, "I thought the moon was made of cheese."

"What's cheese?" Crash asked his brother.

"I don't know, but it sounds awesome. And tasty." Eddie licked his lips.

Louis sighed. "While we're out, I'd like to gather up some pearls. My friend Bethany's birthday is coming up and I want to surprise her with a pearl necklace." He started blushing. "She's the only molehog girl who actually likes me for who I am."

Crash and Eddie started laughing and singing. "Louis and Bethany, kissing in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" They were rolling all over the floor.

Louis shook his head. "Before we start our exploration, we need proper nature gear." He took out a basket and some gloves made of leaves. He handed the possums each a pair of gloves. "Put these on, please."

"What's so bad about touching rocks with our paws?" Eddie asked.

"Rocks can get sick, too. And with all the pranks you two do, I'm pretty sure you both carry all sorts of germs." Louis placed his gloves on his paws. "I'm ready."

"Okay, I'm ready," Crash said, but instead of placing the gloves on his paws, he had one on top of his head and the other pulled up over his body.

Louis chuckled. "That's pretty comical."

"Look at me," Eddie said. His glove was over his head. He began blowing air inside his and ended up popping it when he breathed out too much.

Louis grabbed the basket and walked out of the tree. "Now let us proceed through the forest."

Crash rolled his eyes. "Follow rock wiener."

The three small mammals travelled on the trail into the woods. The possum brothers were getting bored as there was nothing to do but walk. Pranking and running around was more their style, but since Ellie was teaching another one of her parenting classes, they had no choice but to leave the cave and do something that wasn't considered pulling stunts on other animals. Plus they decided to tag along with Louis to find some useful stuff to use for future pranks.

Louis, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. "Isn't this magnificent? All the wonders of nature are surrounding us. Every specimen, every seed and every species placed into one big petri dish full of life."

"What's a petri dish?" Crash asked.

Eddie swallowed weirdly. "I think I swallowed a bug." He stuck out his tongue to wipe the taste from his mouth.

A bush rustled up ahead, causing Crash to panic. "What's that?" He looked ahead to see an acorn drop to the ground. Coming out of the bushes was Scrat. He grabbed his nut and ran. Crash groaned and walked away from his brother and molehog friend. "That's it! This nature stuff is for the birds!" When he disappeared behind the trees, he hollered out, "Whoa!"

"Crash?" Louis and Eddie said in unison. They walked over to see what Crash had freaked out about.

Right in front of the possums and Louis was a gigantic spider web.

"Whoa!" Eddie said, "So cool!"

"It's a masterpiece of nature," Louis said, looking at the web in awe, "A glorious habitat for an arachnid to live in peacefully."

"Looks like a hairnet Ellie would wear when she's volunteering at the community kitchen or when she's about to get ready for bed," Crash said, "Oh, well. Let's go, guys." Before he walked off, he saw his brother bouncing around as he stuck himself to the web. "Eddie! What do you think you're doing? Get down, you maniac!" Then he laughed. "Just kidding! That's the funniest thing you've ever done!"

"You're disturbing the eco-environment," Louis said.

Eddie kept wiggling around and laughing with glee until he stopped and listened to his surroundings. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Now you've done it. Eddie, I think you've startled the poor spider so much that it probably believes his home is under attack." Louis started hearing something himself.

The noise sounded distance, but it was familiar. It was the sound of giggling. They had no idea whether it was weird creatures, or worse, humans, but they weren't taking any chances.

"Eddie, get off that thing!" Crash shouts up at his brother.

Eddie tries pulling himself off, but to no avail. "I'm stuck! Help me, guys! I don't want the fluids drained from my body."

"Hold on, Eddie! We'll rescue you!"

Louis and Crash began pulling Eddie, but he was seriously stuck. While they were trying to get him free, they started hearing feminine voices singing, "Crash, Eddie and Louis, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

Once they got Eddie free, the three of them darted through the woods, screaming out in fear. The voices continued singing. "Crash, Eddie and Louis, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

The three small mammals continued sprinting. Louis pointed over at a rock sqeezing in between some trees. "Go straight! Through the trees!" They hopped over the rock, but ended up landing in a mud puddle. They screamed as they scrambled to escape the slippery mess.

The singing continued and it was louder than before.

"Crash, Eddie and Louis, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Then three shadows stood in front of the males, causing them to fear for their lives as they were dragged out of the mud puddle and were blindfolded.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Once the boys could finally see what was going on, they looked up in front of them as they saw three females standing over them. Two of the girls were possums while the other one was a female molehog.

The possum standing in the middle had a blue colored pelt with light tan colored stripes and gray eyes. She had a red hair style that resembles her to earning a punk rock personality. She smiled down at the males. "We're so happy you could drop by."

The possum standing to the middle possum's left had a blonde colored pelt with brown stripes and orange eyes. She had tan colored hair that formed into a ponytail on her head. She giggled and pointed to the leaf made robes on the boy's bodies. "Hope you like our daddy's robes."

The female molehog, who had blue spikes and yellow colored fur with sapphire blue eyes, straightened out the robe on Louis. "This is my daddy's old bathrobe."

The boys looked down at the robes. Crash's robe had the name Rocky. Eddie's had a name called Fishy. Louis' robe just said Bob.

"How did we get into these?" Crash asked.

The female mammals got closer to the boys and started making kissing noises. The males backed up to the wall while the girls giggled. They started piling around the boys.

"We're glad to finally have some guest over," said the possum girl with the red hair.

"I'm Mint," said the blonde possum.

"I'm Blue," the female molehog said.

"And I'm Violet," the blue possum said, "We're the Underground sisters. We just moved here."

"I'm Crash," Crash said.

"I'm Eddie," Eddie said.

"And I'm-" Louis started to say, but Blue interrupted him.

"We know. Louis. Don't you worry about that." Blue poked Louis' nose affectionately.

"Is there a reason why we're wearing these robes?" Crash asked.

"Oh, we just gave you guys a nice warm bath," Violet answered, "You boys sure were dirty."

"How can you girls be sisters when Blue is a molehog?" Louis asked.

"Blue's dad married mine and Mint's mom. Mint and I were around three years old, so we don't really remember."

"And I was a baby when they got married," Blue said.

"We've been sisters for as long as we can remember," Mint said.

"How nice," Louis said, trying his best not to sound nervous and frightened.

The girls started hopping up and headed to a hole that led to their kitchen.

"Why don't you boys take a look around the place?" Mint told the males.

"We'll be in the kitchen fixing up some lunch for you guys," Violet said, "Be back in a moment." They disappeared into the kitchen.

"You heard them, boys," Crash said, "Let's take a look around."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Louis asked. He didn't enjoy being inside the burrow belonging to strangers they just met.

"Of course it is." Crash popped his head through the entrance and exit hole. "This seems like a cozy little burrow neighborhood."

Eddie walked over to a wooden shelf and found some old antiques. He started playing with a clam statue. "This is awesome!"

Louis was intrigued with all the amazing books the sisters owned. "These are some fascinating pieces of literatures. What's this?" Louis removed a book from the shelf and read the title. "How to Construct a Wooden Canoe." He opened the book, but was surprised to see nothing was drawn on the pages. "There's no construction instructions. These pages are blank."

Crash was laughing at some leaf drawings on the wall. "Hey, guys! Check these out!" He continued laughing when his brother and friend came over to look at what all the fuss was about.

The leaf picture on top was of Mint and Eddie holding hands. "Oh, this is bad." Eddie wasn't liking the drawing.

Louis saw the leaf drawing in the center to be of him and Blue with the two of them hugging one another. "Oh, my."

Crash continues laughing until he saw the drawing on the bottom. It was him and Violet getting married. "What the-" Crash screamed. "AAAHHH!" Crash ripped the drawing off the wall and started wadding it up. Then he smashed it under his feet until it was buried and raised his fist up in the air. "Pals and never gals!"

"Oh, boys!" Blue called out, exiting from the kitchen wearing a brown furred apron and carrying a wooden tray with wooden cups, "Come and get some delicious cups of homemade coconut milk."

"Sweet!" Crash said.

"I'm quite parched," Louis agreed.

They all took a sip of the coconut milk, enjoying every sip of the sweet liquid. While doing that, Blue was busy requesting a movie production on the show hole. "I just requested the famous comedy called Dodo Heads. You boys just relax while the girls and I get lunch fixed."

When Blue left, the boys sank into the couch, holding the cups of coconut milk in their tiny paws. Dodo Heads was Crash and Eddie's favorite movie. Louis liked it just because it was funny, but the possum brothers literally studied it for prank ideas.

Louis still had a bad feeling about being inside a stranger's burrow. "I'm still not sure we should be here. I know they're being nice and all, but I think they want us to take advantage of all this. Are you sure we can't leave?"

"No way," Crash said, "We're their guest. It would be rude to leave. Don't forget that they're new here and they offered to make us lunch. So let's just stick around for a while, eat for free, and then split." He and Louis heard Eddie sighing in comfort as he literally sank into the couch. "Besides, Eddie's already made himself at home so we should do the same."

So they did and Louis was actually enjoying himself just a little.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Inside the burrow's kitchen, the Underground sisters were busy preparing lunch. Violet was busy preparing the entree while Blue was fixing to make up the side dishes. Mint was standing around figuring out what to do.

"It's so nice to have the boys home," Blue said, holding a bowl of onions.

Mint gave Blue a stern look, taking the onions away from her. "Hey, I'm chopping up the onions. You cry every time you chop them."

Blue started fighting over the containers of seasonings. "Then give me the seasoning ingredients!"

"Girls, shut up!" Violet shouted at her sisters, "We've got lunch to make!" She took the onions and seasonings from them. "Go pick out some other stuff! I need these for the entree!"

"I call bell peppers!" Mint yelled.

"I'll take care of the jalapenos!" Blue shouted excitedly.

Violet chuckled while stirring up some freshly cooked fish chum. "Nothing says delicious like some good old fashioned home cooking." She started chopping up the onions and took out some lettuce and started chopping it up as well. She slid both ingredients in the wooden pot. "And now for the main ingredient." She took out a bowl of tomatoes along with a wooden smasher. "Tomato sauce!" She smashed up the tomatoes and added them in the pot.

After letting it simmer for a few more minutes, it was ready. Chum gooloush was born.

The girls brought out plates of the meal a few minutes later. They smiled at the boys watching the movie production on the show hole as they said in unison, "Lunch is ready!"

The males literally floated off the couch as their noses picked up the scent of the delicious meal placed in front of them. They each took a plate and started chowing down on the chum. It didn't matter what it was. It was food and they were glad to be eating it.

The girls giggled as they headed to one of the burrow holes in the living room.

"We'll be just a few minutes, boys!" Blue said in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah," Violet said, "We're gonna go freshen up."

While the girls left the room, the boys were busy eating and staring at the show hole. The meal was good even though Crash kept pulling fish bones out of his mouth, Louis was belching and Eddie kept laughing with his mouth full. All in all, they were enjoying the hospitality that was being given to them.

Giggling could be heard as the girls entered the living room once again, but this time they were wearing face paint, lipstick and had flowers in their fur and hair. They smiled and said in a chorus, "We're back!"

They walked over to the boys, surrounding them as they continued enjoying their lunch and program. They may not be paying attention now, but the sisters will make sure they do.

Blue walked over to Crash. "So, Crash, do you like what you see?" Crash didn't pay the bit of attention. Blue even snapped her fingers, but nothing worked. She shrugged and walked over to Louis.

Violet figured her beauty and flirtatious actions would work. "Are you enjoying everything? I sure am. I'm glad that you're here safe and sound and enjoying everything we can ever offer you."

"Sounds good," Crash said, holding out his empty wooden cup, "Would you mind getting me some more of that coconut milk?"

Mint sat next to Eddie on the couch. "Are you enjoying our underground chum, Eddie?"

"Best chum I've ever had," Eddie said, "You girls sure know how to cook a meal." While he spoke, his mouth was full of chewed up chum.

This disgusted Mint and made her angry. "Don't talk with your mouth full, mister!"

Blue was behind Louis. She was busy fluffing up his pillow as he was pulling a string of chum off his plate, the tomato sauce flying all over. Blue shrieked. Louis looked up at her. "Would you refrain touching me while I'm eating? Thank you."

Blue grew mad and poked Louis on the head. "I'll touch you whenever I want, buddy boy."

"Is there a problem?" Louis grew concerned about the girls.

"Everything's fine!" the sister's shouted.

The girls were getting fed up with everything. They tried pretending everything was fine. Nothing was bothering them. That was all a lie. They couldn't stand being ignored and they weren't going to play games any longer. They stood in front of the boys, blocking the show hole in the process.

Crash waved his paw to make them move. "Hey, get out of the way! This is the best part!"

"Is it not enough that we've broken our backs for you to clean this place and cook for you?" Blue asked angrily.

"If things don't start changing around here, we're leaving!" Violet yelled, paws on her hips.

"It's time you guys started pulling your own weight around here!" Mint shouted.

"What's up with them?" Eddie asked his brother. They looked at Louis who just shrugs his shoulders in bewilderment.

Blue pointed to the empty plates and cups sitting on the wooden coffee table. "Clean up this mess right now!"

The boys hopped up off the couch and started cleaning up, but they ended up knocking everything onto the floor. So they kindly pushed the mess under the couch and sat back down, hoping the girls would continue giving them the hospitality they were treated with.

But the sisters were not so easily tricked.

"Nice try," Violet said, handing Crash some furred towels, "Get washing!"

"And scrubbing!" Blue shouted, handing Louis a wooden scrubber with porcupine quills.

"Come along, little man!" Violet pulled Louis ear and dragged him into the kitchen.

"Time to get some work done around here!" Blue dragged Crash by the ear and led him to the wash basin.

Eddie was laughing at everything going on around him. Mint handed him a mop and furred rag. "You, too! Start scrubbing the toilet!"

Eddie sighed and made his way over into the bathroom. He placed a wooden helmet over his head and jumped right inside the toilet. He started scrubbing the inside of it. He saw the toilet seat lifted up and saw it was Mint. He smiled. "Oh, hello!"

"Make it shine!" Mint shouted and slammed the toilet seat down.

In the kitchen, Crash was busy washing the dishes. Louis was washing the towels in the wash basin. Eddie had finished cleaning the bathroom and was basically goofing around. He jumped into the wash basin and splashed water all over the place.

"Eddie, you're creating germs in the water," Louis said.

"Eddie, quit goofing around!" Crash yelled, throwing a plate made of ice at his brother. Eddie ducked in time for the plate to hit the wall instead of shattering on his face.

"You better be fighting over me in there!" Violet shouted from the living room.

Eddie chuckled. "Finished that! Heading outside, Crash!"

Crash groaned. "Slacker." He slipped on some water left on the floor.

Louis sighed in relief. "All the towels are washed and hung up to dry. I'm going to clean the living area, Crash." Louis walks out of the kitchen.

Crash starts to grow mad. "Okay, I'll clean this! I'll clean everything!" He starts stomping all over the dishes in the sink in anger.

He was tired of being treated like a housekeeper.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Louis was busy scrubbing the smooth rocky floor while the girls were polishing their claws. They were giggling and gossiping among themselves while watching Louis do their chores.

"Make sure the floor shines!" the girls said in sing-song voices.

Eddie had hopped back inside the burrow. "I'm back!" He had to shout because the wooden helmet was over his head. His feet were covered in mud.

This made the girls furious as they shouted, "Mud tracker! Your tracking mud!"

"Mud!" Louis cried, "Eddie! I just cleaned that area!"

Eddie looked down at his foot and saw the mud. He began freaking out and hopped all over the place, causing himself to get one of his feet stuck in the wooden bucket Louis was using and slide through the burrow. "Oh, no!"

"You better not wreck our daddy's bucket!" Mint shouted.

Eddie slid his way into the kitchen where Crash handed him a bunch of towels. "Here, Eddie. Hang these up outside."

This caused Eddie to be pushed back and he ended up crashing and tripping over into the living room. "Crash!"

Violet got up and held Eddie by the collar of his robe. "I'm starting to get sick of this! If you can't even do something as simple as chores, you can go back to diving for clams!"

Crash knew at that point it was time to cross the line. He came in between his brother and Violet and yelled out, "That's enough!" Violet backed away and stood next to her sisters. They all started whimpering and were on the verge of tears. Crash knew the damage he caused. "Oh, this isn't good."

Blue started sniffling. "This is the thanks we get for all our hard work!" Then she and her sisters began to cry as they ran up their burrow and locked themselves in their room.

"Oh, I know I'm gonna regret this," Crash said as he and the other two walked up through the burrow.

The girls were sitting on their shared bed, trying to calm themselves down. They knew they had crossed the line, but it was the only way to get the boys to notice them.

"We have to pull ourselves together, girls," Mint told her sisters. She then heard shuffling coming up to their room and saw the boys in front of the entrance. "What are you guys still doing here? Haven't you caused enough trouble already? Now get out of here! And never come back!" She pushed them down the burrow and they landed on top of one another in the living room.

After dusting themselves off, Crash started for the exit. "Okay, guys. You heard them. Let's go."

"Are you sure about that, Crash?" Louis asked, "I'm beginning to think these girls are trying to trick us."

"They told us they didn't want us here and I for one am gonna take that chance and get out of here." Crash popped his head through the hole in the ground only to see a horrifying sight in front of him. "AAAAHHHH!"

The sisters were standing outside in front of the burrow entrance with mud mask on their faces and twigs curling up their fur and hair. They all had their paws on their hips and stern looks on their faces.

"Leaving so soon?" Violet asked. She took out a wooden doll that resembled Crash. "Aren't you forgetting about Crash Jr.?"

"And Louis Jr.?" Blue took out a Louis doll.

Mint did the same thing, except her doll was Eddie. "Don't forget about Eddie Jr.!"

The guys screamed their heads off. Crash was going nuts and couldn't take the craziness anymore. "That's it! Run for it!" The guys all ran away from the Underground Sisters, hoping to never see them again.

"That's right!" Violet shouted at the boys, "Run, you cowards!"

"Get lost!" Mint yelled out.

"We hope you learn a lesson from all this!" Blue called out.

"Think we should follow them, girls?" Violet asked.

"Definitely! Let's take the dolls!"

The girls wiped the mud mask off their faces, removed the twig curlers and started following after the males.

Ah, sometimes love can be such an obsession.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

Crash, Eddie and Louis continued running through the village until they made it to the mammoth's cave. Ellie was in the middle of teaching her weekly parenting class with Shira and Brooke when the boys smacked right into the rock chalk board.

Ellie gasped. "What has gotten into you three? I'm trying to give a lesson here."

"What the heck are you guys wearing?" Shira asked, pointing to the robes the males had on.

They took the robes off while Crash started explaining. "Ellie, you will not believe what has happened to us!"

"We were out rock hunting with Louis when these three girls named Violet, Mint and Blue came and kidnapped us," Eddie explained, "They blindfolded us, gave us a bath and put us in robes."

"They started treating us like guest," Louis said, "They shared their hospitality by making us lunch and putting a motion picture on the show hole, but we must have done something to cause a ruckus because they made us do house cleaning."

"Then when we finally got fed up with them, they started crying, told us to leave and when we did, they freaked us out by dressing like weirdos with mud faces and wooden dolls!" Crash shouted, "It was horrible!"

"I cannot believe this!" Ellie cried.

"We're so glad you understand our pain," Crash told his sister.

"No, I can't believe what I'm hearing. You three should be ashamed of yourselves. Those girls did nothing but treat you with kindness and you just run away and not even thank them for it."

"I'm terribly shocked to hear all this," Brooke said, looking away from the boys.

"You guys are busted," Shira said.

"I want you three to go back and apologize to those girls," Ellie told the boys.

Louis yelped. "Gotta go!" He buries himself underground and scurries off.

"Lucky wiener," Eddie mumbles.

"Well, you both better get going," Ellie said.

The possum twins sighed and start making their way out of the cave before they almost bumped into the Underground Sisters. "AAAAAHHHH!" They both screamed at the top of their lungs.

"We're back!" the girls chanted while holding up the dolls.

"Hey, Blue," Crash said nervously, "Louis ran off. He's not here."

"He doesn't have to worry about that," Blue said, "I'll go find him. Later, girls." She burrows underground in search of Louis.

Mint and Violet were still standing in front of the boys with the dolls. The brothers ran off and hid behind their mammoth sister, fearing for their lives.

"Please help us," Crash whimpered.

"Don't you remember our motto?" Eddie asked Ellie, "Pals and never gals?"

Ellie chuckled. "I can plainly see that all of this is a joke."

"Uh, yeah," Violet said, "It was all a joke."

"Every bit of it," Mint said as she snatched the wooden dolls and threw them in a bush.

Ellie smiled. "I have this strange feeling that you two like my brothers. And I mean like them, like them."

"Well, why not?" Violet said, "They're cute."

"They're hot," Mint said.

"And their funny. Perfect for the both of us."

Ellie giggled. _These girls seem perfect for my brothers,_ she thought. _They may do their best to never settle down, but maybe these girls can put a little self-control in them._ She smiles at the possum girls. "Would you girls like to join us for dinner tonight?"

"We'd love to!" the possum girls said in unison.

Crash and Eddie groaned. This was just not their day. But never did they figure that girls would like them ever. That made the day even worse.

 **NEXT SCENE:**

That night, the entire herd came to the mammoth's cave for dinner. The last guests to arrive were Violet and Mint. They introduced themselves to the herd as they continued their search for the possum brothers.

Ellie walked up to the possum sisters. "Violet! Mint! I'm so glad you girls could make it!"

"Glad you invited us," Violet said.

"Where are the boys?" Mint asked.

"Oh, they're around here somewhere," Ellie told them, "I'll go look for them." She searched around the entire cave and heard some movement from the trees outside the bedroom window. She stuck her trunk out and dug inside the tree until she found her brothers. "There you both are. Come on. The girls are waiting."

"Come on, sis," Crash whined, "Don't make us do this."

"You boys better behave yourselves before things get ugly. Now come on." Ellie took the boys into the dining room and settled them down at the table.

The sisters didn't hesitate to sit next to the boys with Mint sitting on Eddie's right and Violet sitting on Crash's left. They even go so far as to hold their arms and rub their heads on their crushes shoulders. This made Crash and Eddie feel uncomfortable, but for some odd reason, they seemed to almost enjoy it. They were literally blushing just a little bit.

That's before they realized what they were doing and shouted out, "Pals and never gals!" and zoomed out of the cave.

The sisters ran over to the cave entrance.

"Look at those boys run so fast," Violet said.

"Just like a real man," Mint said, "I'm falling for them."

"Yep. I'm falling madly in love!"

Then the sisters laughed in a mischievous way, knowing that an era of untrue love and pranking began.

Even as the sun went down, Blue still chased Louis from underground. Even through Louis' pleads, Blue refused to surrender and continued chasing him.

Thus a fight to force love has begun under the rising moon.

* * *

 **IN CASE YOU GUYS ARE WONDERING, THIS WAS BASED OFF OF ONE OF THE FIRST EPISODES OF ED, EDD, N EDDY WHEN THEY FIRST MET THE KANKER SISTERS.**

 **HOPE THIS EPISODE WAS GREAT.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**


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